Standards Development

The Bureau is responsible for the preparation and promotion of standards in relation to goods, services, processes and practices locally. The Bureau recognizes that standards require genuine public/private partnerships involving producers, governments, consumer groups and regulators. Standards are therefore developed in a wide variety of fields by Technical Committees comprised of experts in each field. The Standards Development Department of the Bureau is responsible for planning, organizing and directing the development of national standards. Justification must be provided for any standards development project.

The standards development process is coordinated by the officers of the Standards Development Department. The department works closely with various technical committees and other interested parties to develop and execute the standards development work programme, which includes, inter alia:

¢ Research activities and foresight planning for identification of greatest priorities for standardization 

¢ Formulation of draft standards and identification of suitable regional and international standards for adoption as national standards 

¢ Review and maintenance of national standards 

¢ Periodic consultations with producers, service providers, Government Agencies, the private sector, consumer representatives, special interest groups and the general public to promote the concept and importance of standardization in national development. 

¢ Participation in regional and international standardization

The standards development work programme of the Bureau focuses on the development, adoption and application of standards that will enhance product or service competitiveness and ultimately the economic development of St. Lucia. These standards may be developed from scratch but such an approach is often costly and time consuming. Also there is always the very real possibility that the lengthy developmental process will culminate in no more than a re-invention of the wheel. 

In view of this, the Standards Development Department encourages technical committees to adopt regional or international standards that will bring greater benefits to St. Lucia on a wider scale. Technical Committees operate on a consensus principle and the public is given the opportunity to examine and comment on all draft standards before they are adopted as National Standards.