The Bahamas joins nations around the globe as they celebrate today as World Standards Day.

Prime Minister Perry Christie made the proclamation yesterday that October 14, 2015 will be celebrated as World Standards Day in The Bahamas.

He said in recognition of the growing significance of standardization to the furtherance of the overall enhancement and sustainability of the economy of The Bahamas and in the promotion of quality goods and services, competitiveness and advancement in consumer protection and health, The Bahamas wishes to join the international celebration of World Standards Day.

This year’s theme is “Standards – the world’s common language.”

World Standards Day was initially launched in 1970 by the International Organization for Standardization and it is celebrated to annually to raise awareness of the role that standards play in the global economy and to promote the role of standards in meeting the needs of business, industry, government and consumers worldwide.

The prime minister said in keeping with the Standards Act, Chapter 338 of 2006, it is essential that The Bahamas implement and maintain a proper standards bureau in the country that can effectively prepare, promote and generally adopt standards on a national, regional, and international level, that relate to goods, processes, practices and services traded and/or locally made or used.

Christie added that without standardization, communication and collaboration between people, machines, parts and products would be extremely challenging on a national and international level.

He also noted that international standards play a significant role in facilitating the most routine forms of communication.

Minister of Financial Services Hope Strachan also indicated in her recognition of World Standards Day that in order for The Bahamas to remain on the cutting edge of development, the country must focus on the implementation and sustainability of a Bureau of Standards.

Strachan said the Bureau of Standards will “undoubtedly promote a culture of quality and assurance to producers and consumers, for goods imported or manufactured locally, reduce trade barriers, enhance innovation and competitiveness and open foreign markets.”

The minister of financial services urges all Bahamians to pledge their commitment to promote standards and quality in every aspect of their lives to ensure that everyone acknowledges standards as the “world’s common language.”