Pursue more vibrant statistics agenda – Dr. Philomen Harrison

Regional statisticians and stakeholders in the sector are meeting in Bridgetown, Barbados, this week on the heels of the observances earlier this month of Caribbean Statistics Day and World Statistics Day, both celebrated under the theme ‘Better Data, Better Lives’.

The Barbados meetings are the 40th Meeting of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS); the 25th Meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC); and the 8th Regional Statistical Research Seminar.

Delivering remarks at the general opening ceremony of the meetings, Dr. Philomen Harrison, Project Direction, Regional Statistics at the CARICOM Secretariat said that the SCCS and the RCCC should provide opportunities for reflection on the theme of Better Data for Better Lives. Such reflection, she said, would ensure that efforts were made to improve the range, quality, relevance and timeliness of the data produced and disseminated, to ensure internal harmonisation within country, as well as conformity to Regional and international standards.

She pointed out that the use of data by policy-makers, researchers, students and others had to be pursued if there was to be impact on the lives of the people of the Community.

She underscored the need for governments to invest more in statistics on a sustained basis. Given the scarcity of resources, Dr. Harrison suggested that a much more vibrant Regional agenda should be pursued with the International Development Partners (IDPs) being encouraged to pursue this course.

“Fundamentally, strategic approaches at the national and Regional levels, that would enable us to determine what is feasible among all the policy areas and frameworks and what statistics are required to be produced as priority to address the expectations of the users for statistics, are required at this time,” she told the opening ceremony.

She pointed out that the statistical community worldwide was faced with the task of producing the indicators for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which would impact the work of the National Statistics Offices and Systems for the next 15 years. Additionally, she said, as CARICOM Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Region also had on its Agenda the monitoring of the SAMOA Pathway.

The Community Strategic Plan 2015-2019 will also place demands for statistics on our somewhat weak statistical infrastructure.

I take this opportunity to urge Governments of the Region to invest in Statistics on a sustained basis so that the National Statistical Offices and Systems in general can drive the implementation of these frameworks,” Dr. Harrison told stakeholders.