Caribbean accreditation scheme launched

The Caribbean Cooperation for Accreditation (CCA) scheme has been launched in Guyana under the auspices of the Caricom Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

Physikalisch-Techniche Bundesansalt (PTB) Consultant Pat Paladino said the scheme is a regional accreditation mechanism that is designed to provide solutions to accreditation issues unique to the Caribbean.
He noted that the scheme aims at providing internationally recognised accreditation services that are economical and readily accessible to the region’s commercial sector.
“It will provide an improved regional accreditation conformity assessment support mechanism, supplying things like regional data bases, regional training, marketing activities in proficiency testing and it would provide internationally qualified and recognised national laboratories and conformity assessment bodies that will meet the national, regional and international needs of the Caribbean community,” he said.
Above all, he said the greatest beneficiaries would be the small island states, under-developed and developing nations that previously were unable to obtain accreditation services. The PTB Canadian consultant explained that the introduction of the scheme provides opportunities for laboratories within the region to acquire their accreditation from within the region as against being accredited from units outside of the region; a system that has proven to be cost effective even for islands with small economies.
Although the initial aim of the CCA scheme is to accredit laboratories in the medical field, Paladino is optimistic that in the near future, the entity will expand to cater for laboratories that certify food safety.
Additionally, accreditation will be provided to inspection bodies as it relates to organisations that perform inspections in important sectors such as tourism, construction and the environment. Paladino delivered the feature address at the launching of the scheme at Regency Suites Hotel, Hadfield Street on Friday, June 8. The launch was an integral part of an accreditation symposium organised by GNBS in observance of International Accreditation Day 2012, celebrated on June 9. Paladino was accompanied by International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Chairman Peter Unger; GNBS Conformity Assessment Department head Candelle Walcott- Bostwick; Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Environmental Health Advisor Adrianus Vlugman and Government Analyst of Food and Drug Department Director Marilyn Collins.