Prayma Carette remembered as a trailblazer in statistics – memorial lecture series launched in her name
“Prayma was a trailblazer for statistics in CARICOM, tirelessly advancing the work in statistics, conducting research and development geared to improve Statistics in Dominica and by extension in CARICOM.”
That’s how Dr. Philomen Harrison, Regional Director, Statistics, eulogised Ms. Prayma Carette, former Chief Statistician of Dominica, who died recently. Dr. Harrison delivered a message of condolence on her own behalf, as well as on behalf of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians and the staff of the Regional Statistics Programme at the CARICOM Secretariat Ms. Carette’s funeral service, earlier this month in Dominica.
“Prayma was not just a Chief Statistician for the Commonwealth of Dominica; she was not just a friend, but to me and to many of those who were her peers in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), she was a fiercely loyal and trusted friend and a committed high-calibre Chief Statistician in a Member State of CARICOM. As a Chief Statistician, she was among the best in CARICOM, if not the best, going the extra-mile- innovating. She believed in and solidly supported CARICOM statistical work”, Dr. Harrison said.
She recounted the various ways in which Ms. Carette impacted the Region, including in her development of a methodology to classify the geographic areas in Dominica by Urban/Rural profile which she presented to the CARICOM Advisory Group on Statistics and the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians; her work in the area of international trade in services, disability statistics, and in the pursuit of the sustainable development goals.
“As part of the early CARICOM Advisory Group and current Advisory Group on Statistics as well as SCCS she contributed to all the regional public goods and core data sets over the last 18 years – the CARICOM Social/Gender and Environment Programme, the common Regional Statistical Work Programme, the Resolution on Statistical Capacity Building, the Model Bill, the Code of Good Statistical Practices, the Common Census Framework right up to the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics that was endorsed by Heads of Government of CARICOM at their 39th Meeting in July this year”, Dr. Harrison recalled.
The Regional Statistics Director also remembered Ms. Carette as a loyal friend and comforter. The SCCS, which is currently meeting in Montserrat, will pay tribute to her.
The SCCS has decided to launch the Prayma Blaize-Carette Memorial Lecture Series with the Inaugural lecture delivered during the current SCCS,