Africa-Press – Mauritius. The grand winners of the National Productivity and Quality Excellence Award (NPQEA), a competition organised by the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) in view to help local enterprises to stimulate productivity and greater efficiency, were awarded prizes on Friday 28 July 2023, at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis.
The Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, the Executive Director of the NPCC, Mrs Sandhya Boygah, the Chairman of the NPCC, Mr Sujoy Busgeeth, and other personalities, were present on the occasion.
In his address, Minister Bholah underscored that the NPQEA is an opportunity to recognising resilience, celebrating success, as well as acknowledging commitment and hard work.
He highlighted the main objectives of the NPQEA which are to instill a culture of productivity, establish best practices and motivate other enterprises to avail of the services of the NPCC to build sustainable businesses.
Speaking of productivity, the Minister indicated that it is a fundamental determinant of rapid economic growth, social progress and improved standard of living.
Productivity, he observed, remains a key factor that enables societies to generate wealth. He opined that a productivity-driven growth and development agenda must be actively pursued to meet the demands of the market which is constantly evolving.
On this note, he urged a stronger collaboration between Government, business, workforce and academia and the need to join forces to chart a path of transformation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
“It is important to consolidate our industrial base through innovation, and the Government with the support of the NPCC, is doing its best to put in place the appropriate policies to promote productivity within the industrial sector”, emphasised Minister Bholah.
He remarked that the NPCC is providing a number of training and capacity-building programmes to help businesses gain access to specialised skills and expertise, strengthen their human capital and technical capabilities.
“Companies should not be afraid to implement technological solutions or change business processes to improve efficiency”, he said. For him, education and training are crucial to equip employees with the prerequisite skills.
Minister Bholah also lauded the NPCC for its guidance and support to businesses in adopting best practices, enhancing operational efficiency, and implementing productivity enhancement strategies.
He congratulated the winners and encouraged other enterprises to inspire themselves. As for Mrs Boygah, she stressed on the importance for local organisations to achieving excellence and increasing productivity.
“The quest for excellence has always been a driving force behind human progress in an interconnected and fast-paced society”, she said. The NPCC has been recognised as a potential centre of excellence and productivity in the African continent, she remarked.
Mrs Boygah emphasised that in a rapidly evolving landscape, nurturing a culture of excellence to encourage creativity problem solving and innovation will help create a competitive and sustainable economy. National Productivity and Quality Excellence Award
The grand winners of NPQEA 2022-2023, who were selected among seven Gold winners in three distinct categories by a panel of international jurors, are as follows: Small & Medium private enterprises including micro enterprises- Lubatech Ltd; Large private enterprises- Cervonic Ltd; and Government departments, parastatals and registered associations- Bon Accueil State Secondary School.
Organisations among the grand winners will be nominated to represent Mauritius in regional and international forums including: the International Convention on Quality Control Circle to be held in 2023 in Beijing, China; and the African Kaizen Award 2023.
For More News And Analysis About Mauritius Follow Africa-Press
