XN000022-1990-04-09 — Page 11

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MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1990

MR BARMA SAID THE AUSTRALIAN AND HONG KONG LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES HAD MAINTAINED A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP SINCE NATA WAS ENGAGED AS THE CONSULTANT TO ADVISE AND ASSIST IN THE SETTING-UP AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOKLAS.

ESTABLISHED FOR OVER 40 YEARS, NATA WAS THE WORLD'S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME AND A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION CONFERENCE (ILAC), A FORUM WHICH HAD PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SETTING THE CODES OF PRACTICE FOR LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES THE WORLD OVER TO FOLLOW.

IN RESPECT OF A2LA, MR BARMA SAID THE ILAC DIRECTORY LISTED 80 DIFFERENT ACCREDITING BODIES OPERATING IN THE USA.

HE SAID, IN THE EARLY YEARS OF HOKLAS'S EXISTENCE, IT WAS RATHER DIFFICULT ΤΟ DECIDE WHICH OF THE AMERICAN SCHEMES WAS SUFFICIENTLY BROAD-BASED AND TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TESTING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO PURSUE AN AGREEMENT IN THE LONG TERM.

Pr

"AFTER A WHILE, IT BECAME CLEAR TO US THAT A2LA FULFILLED ROLE, MR BARMA SAID.

THAT

A2LA

"ALTHOUGH IT HAS SEVERAL HUNDRED LABORATORIES ACCREDITED, IS CONCERNED WITH FIELDS OF TESTING SIMILAR TO THOSE BEING ADDRESSED BY HOKLAS AND IN KEEPING WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR INDUSTRIES.

"CONSEQUENTLY, THERE WAS SCOPE FOR MUTUAL BENEFITS BETWEEN AZLA AND HOKLAS.

"FURTHERMORE, THE PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY OF THOSE RUNNING ACCREDITATION SCHEMES IS OF CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE ΤΟ MR BARMA SAID.

US,"

MR BARMA PAID SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO A2LA'S PRESIDENT, MR JOHN LOCKE, WHO HAD COME TO HONG KONG FOR THE PURPOSE OF SIGNING THE DOCUMENT, ADDING "HE IS ONE IN WHOM WE WOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR HOKLAS IN THE UNITED STATES.

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MR BARMA ALSO THANKED THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NATA, MR GILMOUR, AND ITS CORPORATE SERVICES MANAGER, MR A.J. RUSSELL, THEIR CO-OPERATION AND HELP IN BRINGING ABOUT THE AGREEMENT AND FOR COMING TO HONG KONG TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY.

J.A.

FOR

ALSO

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