Shaw calls for improved standards

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is on a mission to make Jamaica a standards-driven country.

Minister Shaw was speaking at a Training of Trainers course in ISO 20700-2017 Guidelines for Management Consulting Standard, hosted by the Caribbean Institute of Certified Management Consultants in collaboration with the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston on April 2, 2019.

The Minister informed that through his Ministry, working in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and, with the support of the Strategic Public Sector Project, funded by the World Bank, the Government was on a mission to make Jamaica become an ISO standards-driven country. He added further that when the Government operates in line with international standards, then, the private sector will have to follow and, when this happens, Jamaica will be a different country.

“What we are doing in Jamaica is historic and revolutionary. No other country has done it quite like this before. When we get the key agencies of Government becoming ISO 9001 certified and operating based on international standards, the rest of Government cannot remain the same,” the Minister added.

The aim of the training course was to prepare management consultants across the region to deliver more value-added services to clients in an ethical and professional manner and improve the quality of consulting services regionally.

“This training is quite timely and relevant because anything that has to do with improving standards, including this very important management consultant training is welcomed. At times we take consultants’ work for granted, therefore, I am happy that you are putting things together in a formal structured way, as your work is very important in lifting standards as well. Often times, your expertise is available to be used to enhance the capacity of the enterprises that you advise. You can be relied on to be objective regarding recommendations made as they will not be in a position of conflicts of interest,” Minister Shaw said.

Approximately 14 participants from across the Caribbean attended the training session.

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