The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is responsible for facilitating the timely development,
promulgation and implementation of national and regional standards for goods, services, processes and
practices. BSJ monitors conformance with the applicable legislations and standards, including the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Organization for Standards and Quality Act (2005), through
inspections and investigations of establishments and at the ports of entry, as well as through laboratory
testing of products.

This performance audit sought to determine if BSJ was managing its resources efficiently and effectively,
to ensure that its monitoring activities deliver maximum benefit in protecting consumers from
substandard products. The audit revealed that BSJ could benefit from more efficient use of its resources,
as inspection activities focused mainly on areas that posed minimal risks to consumers’ health and
safety. The audit also found that quality standards were not consistently reviewed and kept up-to-date
to ensure continued applicability and relevance.

BSJ should consider for implementation, recommendations made in this report which aim to address
weaknesses identified by the audit.