The 2000 Population and Housing Census, which CARICOM Member States are at varying stages of completion, was one of the challenges faced by The Bahamas� Director of Statistics, Charles Stuart, as he chaired the 27th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Caribbean Community Statisticians (SCCS) held November 11-15 in St Georges, Grenada.
He also oversaw adoption of a resolution calling for governments to invest in statistical capacity building as a priority.
SCCS delegates discussed “critical issues” relating to data collection, compilation and dissemination, in support of national and regional priorities and objectives.
The meetings were convened by the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and hosted by the Government of Grenada.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary in Grenada’s Ministry of Finance, Lennox Andrews, jointly opened the SCCS meeting and the 10th Meeting of the Regional Census Coordination Committee.
In its role in the collection and dissemination of data, The Bahamas is “holding its own,” said Mr Stuart.
“In some areas we are much more advanced than others,” he said.
“In foreign trade we are current. In population census, we were one of the first countries to have the results printed.
“This time around we got our publication out in under two years. Last time we did not get our publication out until about five or six years after the census. That was standard for the region for the past two censuses.
“We are also looking at trying to produce some supply and use tables in national accounts. We are not as far as we would like to be, but then, in terms of how we fare with the region, except for one or two countries, we are basically on target.”
Permanent Secretary Andrews emphasized that the region was at “a critical juncture where statisticians were needed more than ever.”
The current economic crisis in the region, he said, stems from the world economic breakdown.
“Had timely and accurate information been available, many of these problems could have been avoided through putting in place early corrective or preventive measures,” said Mr Andrews.
Speaking on behalf of CARICOM, Director of Information and Communication, Jacqueline Wiltshire Forde, underscored the region�s strategy of creating a CARICOM Single Market and Economy to offset the negative effects of globalisation and international trade liberalization with the establishment of the
Caribbean Court of Justice to safeguard its integrity.
She contended that “statisticians were the new artists in a changing world whose role was to paint the true picture of the new environments.”
CARICOM�s Programme Manager for Statistics, Dr Philomen Harrison, noted that the focus during the meetings was placed on new and difficult areas.
They include the need for quality and timeliness in international merchandise trade statistics and building on the foundation already laid with respect to international trade in services.
The 10th meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee, chaired by CARICOM Census Coordinator, Ormand Gordon, afforded exchange of information and experiences, and an opportunity to lend support to Member States being challenged by the population and housing census.
Providing technical and financial support at the national and regional levels were the World Bank, the United Nations Statistical Division, EUROSTAT, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Development Bank.
The CARICOM efforts to upgrade statistical capacity in the Community will continue, with focus on a practical approach to implement the 1993 System of National Accounts, CARICOM secretariat stated.
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