Bridgetown, Barbados — The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) hosted a series of national stakeholder consultations to modernise Metrology Acts in the region.

The online consultations were conducted in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) under the Caribbean Component of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Quality Infrastructure Programme (ACP QIP). The programme is funded by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union (EU), and executed by UNIDO.

These sessions facilitated the review of recent research findings that will support legislative   revision of Metrology in Grenada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

On Monday, March 24^th, 2025, the first session was convened with stakeholders from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, including representatives of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards (SVGBS), national regulatory bodies and experts from various sectors, to validate the findings of the Technical Analysis Report developed by consultant, Mr. Ramon Madrinan.

During the session, Mr Ezra Ledger, Executive Director of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards and Chair of the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Qualityt, emphasized that the research would be instrumental in modernising the nation’s Standards and Weights and Measures Act, the latter which has been in effect for over 20 years.

Mr David Tomlinson, Associate Technical Expert, UNIDO, underscored the importance of this work, stating, “it was “vital that throughout the region we have measurement legislation that is vital, facilitates trade and addresses … national priorities.”

Mr Nicol Best, CROSQ’s Technical Officer – Metrology, reinforced Mr. Tomlinson’s points, stressing the importance of precise measurements, for trade, healthcare, environmental protection and scientific research.

The consultations were scheduled to be conducted between March 24^th to March 27^th. Stakeholder feedback will be used to enhance the development of the new Metrology legislations.

The modernisation of metrology legislation presents a significant step towards enhancing the standard and quality of regional metrology services and aligning them with international best practices.

CROSQ remains steadfast in its commitment to actively championing the development and implementation of forward-thinking Quality Infrastructure (QI) legislative frameworks, that strengthen the foundation for sustainable growth and development throughout the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).