For Immediate Release
PROFESSIONALS UNDERCORE FOSTERING QUALITY CULTURE AT CFBC INAUGURAL WORLD QUALITY DAY PANEL DISCUSSION
Basseterre, St. Kitts, 22nd November 2024 (CFBC): At the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College’s (CFBC) inaugural panel discussion celebrating World Quality Day on 14th November 2024, experts from the public and private sectors including education, health, banking, and manufacturing emphasised the critical need for fostering a quality culture within organisations. They highlighted that in the rapidly evolving landscape of the 21st century, maintaining high standards of quality is not just beneficial but essential for organisational survival and success. The panelists shared insights on how a commitment to quality can drive innovation, enhance customer satisfaction, and improve overall operational efficiency. They shared their insights and experiences, underscoring the shift from mere compliance to a performance-driven approach to quality. Their discussions highlighted the importance of integrating quality into every aspect of organizational operations to achieve excellence and sustainability in today’s competitive environment.
Held under the 2024 theme “Quality: from Compliance to Performance,” the panel featured Mr. Desroy Tate, Quality Manager at Carib Brewery (St. Kitts & Nevis) Ltd; Mr. Stuart LaPlace, Director of the St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards; Ms. Tamara Liddie, Quality Assurance Officer at Joseph Nathaniel France General Hospital; Mr. Terrence Crossman, First Chair and Managing Director of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd; and Mrs. Trisha Francis, Executive Director of the St. Kitts and Nevis Accreditation Secretariat.
In her introductory remarks to the panel discussion, Interim President of the CFBC Dr. Moyia Rowtham said that the CFBC takes quality assurance very seriously.
“At CFBC, we understand that quality is not just about checking the boxes or meeting benchmarks, but it is a frame for our commitment to ongoing improvement and the pursuit of excellence across all areas of our institution. Our journey towards institutional accreditation is a testament to this commitment,” Dr. Rowtham said. “Accreditation is more than credentials. It represents our promise to students, faculty and the community that we hold ourselves to the highest standards in education, service and operation. This journey is a part of how we at CFBC embody our motto Ad Summa Semper Nitens-Always Striving for Excellence.”
Mr. LaPlace, who was the first speaker, said “Standards, to put it very briefly, is a measure of quality, so it is like a chicken and an egg, one does not exist without the other, so standard is a basic measure of quality and without quality, there are no standards.”
Additionally, Ms. Francis said, “Historically, quality assurance has been centered around compliance, ensuring that institutions meet minimum standards and regulations, but this approach is somewhat of a base. It’s a base level of quality when we look at standards protecting students, institutions and stakeholders. However, as things evolve, as education evolves, we realize that the demands on the institutions and accrediting bodies have changed significantly and so today compliance is no longer the end point as we all realize—it’s just the start because now we are looking at how persons or individuals…are incorporating quality in everything that they do and creating that quality culture.”
On the other hand, Ms. Liddie made some excellent points about quality assurance. She said that engaging staff in performance and enhancement efforts is crucial for fostering a culture of quality within an organization and by focusing on learning, growth, and resilience, teams can work together to ensure that quality is not just a goal but a shared value. She emphasized thathis approach not only enhances the overall performance of the institution, but also builds customer satisfaction and trust.
She outlined several key steps to achieving accreditation, emphasising the importance of adopting continuous improvement practices and engaging staff in quality initiatives. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and accountability, she stated that organizations can ensure that all members are committed to maintaining high standards. Additionally, she highlighted that aligning goals across the organization is crucial for cohesive progress, while leveraging technology to drive performance can streamline processes and enhance overall efficiency.
Moreover, Mr. Tate stressed that understanding customer needs and closely monitoring processes, behaviors and variations are crucial for safeguarding the customer and ensuring quality, and that by gaining deep insight into what customers expect and require, organizations can tailor their processes to meet these demands effectively. He said that in St. Kitts all manufacturers that have implemented quality systems have all reported major improvements in productivity, performance and profitability.
“In the 21st century, quality is everybody’s responsibility. In most companies, you would have a quality department, a quality manager, however, it has changed significantly in the 21stcentury in that we have to maintain a quality culture throughout the entire organization. It is no longer a function of a department. It has to be a culture that is created that even the line staff can gain an appreciation, an understanding of exactly what is quality,” Mr. Tate said. “Quality must be a habit.”
Also, Mr. Crossman spoke about the importance of quality assurance in relation to banking. He highlighted that quality assurance in banking is a critical process that ensures reliability, accuracy, and security of banking services and products. He said it involves systematic monitoring and evaluation of various aspects of banking operations, including software applications, customer service, and compliance with regulatory standards. His presentation stressed that by implementing robust quality assurance practices, banks can enhance their operational efficiency, reduce errors, and build trust with their customers.
The panel discussion ended with a lively question and answer session.
