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LEGAL METROLOGY WORKSHOP

The workshop (June 1-12, 1998), sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), the organization of American States (Inter-American Metrology Systems - SIM) and the International Organization for Legal Metrology, was attended by delegates from twenty-eight countries in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Presentations were made by Brazil, Canada and the United States on the Legal Metrology systems in their countries.

The purpose of the workshop was to better acquaint participants with the weights and measures practices within the Americas as well as with the International Legal Metrology system of OIML. During the first week participants attended lectures at the NIST site in Gaitersburg, Maryland and also visited NIST laboratories. In the second week they travelled to the State of Ohio for visits to manufacturing and State laboratory sites.

Antigua was represented by Mrs. Paula Skerritt, a member of the Bureau's staff.

The workshop was a success in that it achieved its goals. During the second week of the workshop a select group of participants developed recommendations with respect to a structure for achieving harmonization of Legal Metrology within the Americas. These recommendations were presented to the entire group in the final session of the workshop. One of the recommendations was to establish a Working Group to take Legal Metrology forward within SIM. Representatives of Brazil, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Uruguay and the USA were nominated to this group, and Brazil was selected to chair.

STANDARDS IN TRADE WORKSHOP

This workshop for selected Caribbean countries, Belize, Guyana and Suriname, sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), took place November 09 - 20, 1998. Antigua was represented by Mr. Elliott D. Paige, Marketing Officer in the Ministry of Trade.

The purpose of this workshop was to introduce foreign public and private sector participants to U.S. technology and principles of metrology, standards setting, and conformity assessment, with a view to:

At the end of the workshop the participants vowed to continue the process. They hope to form a close co-operation with NIST and to meet periodically to evaluate their efforts. Additionally, they plan to make the proposed Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) their secretariat.

There is a possibility of Antigua and Barbuda obtaining assistance from NIST with technical support, information services and laboratory attachments). However, Antigua and Barbuda would have to set certain things in place before any assistance is forthcoming.