The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) has ushered in new leadership with Antigua and Barbuda assuming the chairmanship of its Council of Directors. Mrs. Solange Baptiste, Acting Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Bureau of Standards (ABBS), commenced her term as chair on January 1, 2026, succeeding Mr. Ezra Ledger of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards.
Concurrently, The Bahamas has been appointed to the vice-chair position, represented by Dr. Renae Ferguson-Bufford, Director of the Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality. Both nations will maintain these regional leadership roles for a one-year term before the chairmanship transitions to another member state.
In her inaugural statement, Mrs. Baptiste expressed profound honor at her appointment, emphasizing her commitment to advancing regional quality infrastructure through collaborative efforts with the CROSQ Secretariat and national standards bodies across CARICOM. “I’m truly excited about serving as chair of the CROSQ Council for 2026,” she stated. “This represents an invaluable opportunity to engage more purposefully with fellow directors and facilitate Antigua and Barbuda’s contribution to coordinating the CARICOM quality infrastructure development agenda.”
Dr. Sharonmae Smith Walker, CEO of the CROSQ Secretariat, extended warm welcomes to the new leadership team, acknowledging the ambitious nature of the regional quality infrastructure agenda. She noted that member state contributions remain vital to CROSQ’s strategic direction and vision development, expressing confidence in Antigua and Barbuda’s eagerness to advance the organization’s trajectory as a key CARICOM institution.