Compulsory Standards Compliance Programme

The Compulsory Standards Compliance Programme (CSCP) seeks to ensure that all imported and locally produced goods and services for which there are national compulsory standards, meet all the relevant product and labelling specifications in order to be retailed on the local market. The Standards Act (# 14) of 1990 mandates the Bureau to provide specific services which include the implementation of COMPULSORY national standards.

The Compulsory Standards Compliance Programme (CSCP) implemented by the Bureau's Compliance Department is in accordance with ISO/IEC Guidelines for Conformity Assessment and is aligned with the requirements of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.

Currently there are twenty three compulsory standards administered by the SLBS. Compliance with the compulsory specifications is a legal requirement for the sale, manufacture and importation of these products. 

Metrology

The Bureau administers the Metrology Act No. 17 of 2000. This legislation gives the organization the responsibility for regulating all weights and measures activities and devices used in trade, in order to ensure fair trading practices. The Metrology Department follows the procedures set by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) for all of its verification programmes. The Department continues to enhance its capability to provide much needed calibration services in various fields of measurement including mass and volume and expects to expand into calibration of instruments for measurement of force and temperature. 

These services assist businesses in operating within the legal framework of the Metrology Act. Moreso traceability of measurement services help to provide credibility to local manufacturers on international markets, thereby increasing their competitiveness. In keeping with international developments the Organization is also spearheading an initiative to metricate the island and join the rest of the world in the use of metric units.

Product & Systems Certification 

Emphasis on Quality Service and Certification in the global market has resulted in increased promotion of these concepts and programmes in Saint Lucia. 

To stimulate producers and service providers to raise the quality of their products and services to levels set in international standards the Bureau has been actively promoting Product Certification, Quality and Food Safety Management Systems in the local industry. 

The organisation is currently engaged in advanced discussions with the Ministries of Tourism and Agriculture respectively for the introduction of Tourism Certification and Agricultural Certification services in the coming year.

The Bureau is responsible for coordinating the Quality deliverables of the saint Lucia's National Export Development Strategy, which will see the development of a National Quality Infrastructure for Saint Lucia. It is also expected to result in improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of processes involved in the production and provision of goods and services in Saint Lucia. No doubt all these developments will serve an incentive for productivity improvements in Saint Lucia as a whole.