Fiji is working to strengthen its quality systems through consultations with industries on the National Quality Policy, aimed at improving standards, protecting consumers and making the system more efficient.
Quality Infrastructure Freelance Consultant Beer Budoo says the policy will assess how the country’s quality systems currently operate and set a roadmap for improvement.
Budoo says the National Quality Policy is a document that reviews the entire system, examines how it functions and identifies ways it can be improved.
He says Fiji is on the right path by examining how different quality institutions and laws in the country are operating.
Budoo adds that the system involves a number of institutions including national standards bodies, metrology institutions, ministries that prepare and enforce technical regulations, as well as agencies responsible for consumer protection, health and safety, and food safety.
He says the policy will benefit consumers as people rely on a wide range of products and services in their daily lives adding that consumers must be able to trust services such as medical laboratories, where accurate test results are critical for their health.
He adds that while products may be safe when they leave the producer, poor handling or storage can affect their quality before they reach consumers.
Budoo says the National Quality Policy will make the system more efficient while protecting both businesses and consumers.
He also highlights that the policy aims to address gaps and overlaps between different organisations.
Budoo explains that in areas such as food safety, responsibilities are shared between agencies.
