St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards (SKNBS) Advances National Standardisation Strategy (NSS)

St. Kitts and Nevis, March 17, 2025 (SKNBS): The St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards (SKNBS) brought together key stakeholders on March 13, 2025, for the National Standardisation Strategy (NSS) Development Session at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. Held under the theme “Building Awareness, Confirming Research Findings, and Setting Standards Priorities,” the session focused on aligning national standards with regional and global benchmarks while prioritising sectors critical to the nation’s development, such as food security, construction, and fisheries.

The event underscored the importance of a robust standardisation framework in driving economic efficiency and quality assurance. Mrs. Sharonmae Smith-Walker, CEO of CARICOM’s Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), highlighted the NSS’s role in harmonizing St. Kitts and Nevis’ standards with regional frameworks. She noted that such alignment would not only enhance trade and market access but also ensure cross-border quality consistency.

Mr. Aka Kouassi, Chief Technical Advisor at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), reinforced the NSS’s significance within the broader National Quality Infrastructure (NQI). He stressed that aligning standards with national priorities would maximize their impact, benefiting both industries and consumers.

Delivering the keynote address, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Consumer Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing St. Kitts and Nevis as a “sustainable island state.” He praised the NSS as a “blueprint for sustainable growth, innovation, and global integration,” expressing gratitude to partners such as CROSQ, UNIDO, and the European Union for their support under the ACP Quality Infrastructure Programme.

A key takeaway from the session was the emphasis on stakeholder-driven standards development. Mr. Hiram Williams, former SKNBS Director and architect of the original NSS, stressed the importance of collaboration in ensuring that adopted standards are relevant and beneficial to national interests. He cautioned against fragmented or arbitrary adoption, advocating instead for a cohesive, needs-based approach.

The NSS Development Session marks a pivotal step in strengthening St. Kitts and Nevis’ standardisation framework and Quality Infrastructure (QI). By fostering competitiveness, sustainability, and regional integration, SKNBS continues to play a crucial role in positioning the nation for long-term economic resilience and global trade readiness.

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