Standards Builds Trust. This was the theme of this year’s World’s Standards Day celebration held on October 14, 2016 and hosted by the Grenada Bureau of Standards (GDBS).

Each year on 14 October, the members of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) celebrate World Standards Day, which is a means of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of experts worldwide who develop the voluntary technical agreements that are published as international standards.

The small ceremony, held at the conference room of the Grenada Bureau of Standards Building, reaffirmed the need for standardization and quality in Grenada. Representatives from public and private sector companies were in attendance to show ongoing support and commitment towards producing goods and services according to national, regional and international standards.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the world’s standards day message from the presidents of the IEC, ISO and ITU which was delivered by GDBS Director (Ag.) Mr. Robert Medford. The message expressed the benefits of producing goods and services at an international standard in the context of a global community.

“A product or service conforming to an international standard is imbued with a trusted symbol of quality, safety or compatibility. Standards speak to the diversity of our interconnected world, introducing uniformity at the interfaces where we need to be certain that we are speaking on the same terms.”

Another anticipated moment of the proceedings was the presentation of certificates of appreciation to individuals of different organizations for their contribution to the development of standard on a national and regional level. A Special Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Standards Development was awarded to Dr. Guido Marcelle for his many years of service and contribution to standardization in Grenada.

The day also marked the inauguration of the National Standards Awards Programme as a form of recognizing the hard work and dedication of the technical committees for various standards.

The atmosphere of the entire day called for a time reflection on the value of producing goods and services in Grenada of an international standard and some of challenges the Grenada Bureau of Standards may face on a day to day basic. The barnacle interviewed Ms. Lois McGuire, the Information Officer, in an attempt to further understand the role of the GDBS in Grenada and the need to embrace the concept and practice of standardization. This interview can be read in the November 2016 issue of the Barnacle Newspaper.