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ADDRESS BY HON. MINISTER OF COMMERCE, TOURISM, INVESTMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
ON THE OCCASION ON WORLD STANDARDS DAY, 2002 UNDER THE THEME “CONFORMITY
ASSESSMENT- ONE STANDARD, ONE TEST, ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE”
October 14th is World Standards Day, and is being observed under the
international theme of “Conformity Assessment - One Standard, Test, Accepted
Everywhere”. This theme, on Conformity Assessment, which simply means the
monitoring and verification of goods and services. This could not be more
appropriate at this time, in light of our own local activities at introducing
Monitoring Procedures for economic development.
In Saint Lucia, like most other developing countries, the subject of Standards
and Conformity Assessment has in recent times taken on a new meaning. In a new
global trading environment, particularly with the finalisation of the Caricom
Single Market and Economy and the Free Trade of the Americas, Saint Lucia will
be completely open to all types of products produced in any part of the world.
In order to maximize the benefits, Government has the responsibility to put
measures in place to safeguard consumers, manufacturers, and importers. It is
for this reason, that the Government and the private sector will, next year,
institute a Compulsory Standards Compliance Programme, which includes Import
Monitoring and Label Assessment. Through this programme, Government will be able
to monitor the quality of imported and locally and manufactured goods, as well
as ensure that consumers are provided with sufficient non-deceptive information
on the labels of products.
We must note that in a small open market economy, consumers and importers are at
a much higher risk of being exposed to unscrupulous trade deals resulting from
the sale of sub-standard, and often unsafe products on our markets. While we
recognise that our local business community makes every effort to provide
consumers with safe quality products, over the years there have been reports of
a number of unfortunate incidents related to misleading claims and insufficient
labelling of foods, pesticides and other toxic chemicals, as well as other
imported items such as bottled water, electrical goods, construction material,
sauces, and milk products. These are sufficient to fear that such occurrences
will increase once the conditions are right in a more open market. Note also
that in most cases, these defective products are manufactured in countries where
there are stringent standards, preventing the sale of these products in the very
country of origin.
Such market dumping has an extremely negative effect on the economy and welfare
of the nation. We cannot sit back and fail to prepare our economy for inevitable
change. Accepting that competition is permanent, all our industries, be it
Tourism, Agriculture or Manufacturing, have to be prepared to face this
challenge. These industries and consumers and the environment cannot continue to
be jeopardized by the sale of unsafe sub-standard products. Local manufacturers
are brutally stifled by unfair competition resulting from the sale of these
cheaper products produced at lower costs, while at the same time, striving to
meet very high standards demanded by the countries we wish to export to. It is
clear that we have no choice but to implement monitoring measures.
Compared to the advances made in other Caricom territories and the rest of the
world, the implementation of the island’s Monitoring Programmes is long overdue.
The first compulsory standards were declared in November of 2000. Since then,
the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards has been working to develop an appropriate
programme based on international and regional guidelines. I have absolutely no
doubt that the Import Monitoring and Label Approval components of the programme
were developed with every effort to result in minimal cost to stakeholders and
the least delay in the clearance of goods from Customs. Change is never easy to
embrace! But we must consider the reality that the cost of NOT implementing the
programme will far exceed the cost of implementation. It is clear that amidst
these changing times, we must adopt a pro-active approach to globalisation. I
therefore encourage importers, manufacturers and consumers to support the work
of the Bureau, for it is only through your support and commitment to the
development of the nation, that the implementation of these Monitoring
Programmes will be a success. I am therefore very pleased with the co-operation
of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce and the Saint Lucia Manufacturers’
Association in finalising a programme that everyone will be comfortable with.
I also take this opportunity to wish all citizens and the management and staff
of the Bureau success in their activities for the celebration of World Standards
Day.
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