Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues is urging businesses, manufacturers and service providers to embrace quality standards as essential tools for improving competitiveness, strengthening consumer confidence and expanding access to regional and international markets.
In a message delivered on Sunday ahead of National Quality Week, observed around World Standards Day on October 14, Minister Rodrigues stressed the importance of standards in supporting Guyana’s economic transformation, particularly as the country advances its energy, industrial and infrastructural development.
This year’s theme, “A Shared Vision for a Better World: Spotlight on SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy,” places the spotlight on Sustainable Development Goal Seven, which promotes affordable and clean energy, drawing focus on the role of standards in ensuring energy systems are safe, efficient and sustainable.
“Reliable and affordable energy is fundamental to our homes, businesses and industries,” the minister stated, noting that dependable energy supplies support productivity, facilitate digital services, attract investment and contribute to a more sustainable future.
She explained that appropriate standards are increasingly important as Guyana experiences significant economic growth, helping to ensure the energy-related products, systems and services on which citizens and businesses depend meet essential requirements for safety, efficiency and reliability.
The minister noted that advancing a national culture of quality requires cooperation among government agencies, businesses, technical experts and other institutions.
Such partnerships are critical to developing and implementing standards that respond to the country’s evolving needs while supporting sustainable economic progress.
Through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and its agencies, the government remains committed to strengthening the systems and services that support businesses and protect consumers.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) continues to play an important role in promoting quality assurance and standards compliance across the economy.
Minister Rodrigues encouraged stakeholders to look beyond compliance and recognise the practical benefits that standards offer in improving performance, building credibility and positioning Guyanese products and services to compete in wider markets.