Gov’t commits to small businesses.

The Antigua and Barbuda Bureau of Standards (ABBS) recently organized a one-week training session for small business owners, aimed at introducing them to quality management systems and helping them grow and expand their businesses.

The training workshop, which was held at the John E. St Luce Financial and Conference Centre, was executed through projects that build capacity and awareness development and use of Quality Infrastructure (QI) that would accomplish the overarching purpose of the EPA programs in the Caribbean.

During the opening ceremony, Trade Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, assured the small business owners that the Antigua and Barbuda government is fully committed to supporting them in their efforts to navigate the world of business.

The Minister also stated that the government is there to offer a helping hand, as the small business sector is the engine of growth and wealth creation

The Director of the ABBS, Dianne Rodriguez, said that the Bureau recognizes that many small to medium enterprises in Antigua and Barbuda do not have formal systems or structures in place to allow them to incorporate, appreciate, and efficiently and effectively implement quality management systems (QMS) in their operations.

Therefore, the training workshop was aimed at helping small business owners to understand the importance of quality management systems and implement them in their operations.

Cheryl Anderson, a business owner with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area of quality management systems and quality infrastructure, conducted the training sessions.

The workshop was undertaken under the 11th European Development Fund, Technical Barriers to Trade Program EDF, and will also pave the way for a National Quality Award (NQA) Program that would serve as a vehicle for business excellence and increased visibility and market access for local products and services.