DR. OMER Thomas, executive director of the Bureau of Standards, has said the Caribbean region needs to make the harmonisation of weights and measures laws in the region a priority.
He said the science of measurement in the Caribbean was relatively underdeveloped, a serious handicap for regional trading.
Dr. Thomas was addressing the opening ceremony of a four-day metrology symposium at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston yesterday.
"If the (CARICOM Single Market and Economy) CSME is to be realised, addressing the issue of measurement equivalence within the region, as well as within the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) must be a priority," he said.
A GRAVE CONCERN
Dr. Thomas said that the verification of weight content and ingredients of pre-packaged goods was also of grave concern.
The executive director pointed out that the symposium was important as it was aimed at creating public awareness for the consumers whom he said needed to know that they are getting the right measurement for their money.
The four-day symposium is being held under the theme 'Measurements: Enhancing Trade, Building Consumer Confidence'.
It has attracted representatives from regional and international standardisation bodies including, the Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality, the Inter-American Metrological System and the National Centre of Metrology of Mexico.
