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Opening Remarks by Dr. Armstrong Alexis CARICOM DSG on the Occasion of the 48th Meeting of The Standing Committee Of Caribbean Statisticians and Related Meetings 30 October – 3 November 2023

October 31, 2023 CARICOM
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Ladies and gentlemen and Distinguished colleagues,

I deem it a privilege and an honour to have been invited to address you at this your Forty-Eighth Meeting of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS), the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and the Thirteenth Regional Statistical Research Seminar.  I bring you warm and fraternal greetings on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. I wish from the onset, to thank the Government of The Bahamas for the excellent arrangements that have been put in place for these meetings and the warm Bahamian welcome that has been extended to me, the participants and visiting delegates.

These Meetings were preceded by the Thirty-first Meeting of the CARICOM Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS), which met last week in order to carry forward recommendations to the SCCS for the advancement of the statistical systems across the Region through mainly the implementation of the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) and its supporting framework.

Ladies and gentlemen, the series of statistical meetings this week bears great significance given that it is the first set of in-person meetings of the SCCS since 2019 due to the COVID19 Pandemic. It is also happening in the year that we celebrate 50 years as a Caribbean Community, the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world. Not to go un-noticed is the fact that The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is hosting these meetings in the very year that the nation is celebrating 50 years of independence. 

The meetings are also being held on the heels of our Fifteenth Observance of Caribbean Statistics Day under the theme, ‘One Voice, One CARICOM, Everyone Counts’. It is in this regard we decided to retain this theme for this SCCS, since it not only underscores the unity and inclusivity of our Caribbean Community but also serves as a reminder of the vital importance of statistics in our journey towards sustainable development.

Delegates of the meeting

The Inaugural Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government recognised the need for harmonised statistics for decision-making which led to the establishment of the SCCS in 1974, one year after the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas that established the Caribbean Community. It therefore means that the SCCS turns 50 next year.

In the event you need a refresher, I pause to remind you that the SCCS was established within the framework of the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community to:

•          Foster increased recognition of the importance of adequate statistical services to the countries of the Region;

•          Widen the scope and coverage of statistical data collection; and

•          Improve the quality, comparability and timeliness of statistics produced.

Much has been accomplished and much more is left to be done and the burden now rests on you, the practitioners, to embrace the present and plan the future for enhanced appreciation of the value of statistics to regional development. 

The Secretariat is exploring the feasibility of having the Fourth High-Level Forum on Statistics and perhaps to extend the Caribbean Statistics Day to have Caribbean Year of Statistics in recognition of 50 years of SCCS establishment. In this regard, the Secretariat welcomes suggestions from Member States and Associate Members.

As evident from past meetings and the current SCCS agendas, significant efforts have already been made in the advancement of the CARICOM RSDS. However, there remains a substantial need for further action, resources and support to develop a robust CARICOM  Statistical System that comprises the National Statistical Systems and the Regional Statistical Programme of the Secretariat, to enable the bridging of data gaps and enhancing data quality.

As Caribbean Statistics Day turns 15, it is an opportunity for us to highlight our major achievements as a statistical community over the years.

Delegates of the meeting

As we deliberate in the coming days, I urge you to maintain focus on progress made thus far.  Through your own efforts and those who preceded you in the statistics profession in the Caribbean, a solid foundation has been built.  I want therefore to remind you of the foundation upon which your current and future work is built.

  • The Thirty-Ninth Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM in July 2018, endorsed the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics, the RSDS, that culminated several years of efforts from heads of statistical offices, past and present, along with their staff, to strengthen and improve the availability of statistics for evidence-based decision making. The CARICOM RSDS is anchored in the theme, ‘Building Resilience of the Caribbean Community’. International Development Partners and Countries have contributed to the implementation of the RSDS, such as, the European Union through the Eleventh European Development Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, Regional Public Goods facility, the Government of Italy that provided support to Agriculture, Gender, the Environment and other areas and the Caribbean Development Bank to the upgrading of the Census e-Portal;
  • The endorsement of the CARICOM Action Plan on Statistics at the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM in July 2016. The Action Plan on Statistics was a precursor to the RSDS and was a response to the 230-plus indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals framework that countries, including those of CARICOM had to produce. The elements of the Action Plan have been incorporated in the CARICOM RSDS;
  • The hamornisation of approaches and standards in data production and dissemination  through the implementation of the Regional Statistical Work Programme (RSWP) which was developed by the SCCS and approved by the Fifteenth Meeting of the Community Council of CARICOM  in January 2005;
  • Hosting of three High-Level Fora on Statistics-2009 (Trinidad and Tobago) , 2014 (Grenada) and 2019 (Grenada). The former Prime Minister of Grenada, as  a Champion for Official Statistics and in his capacity as lead head for Science and Technology in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet advocated at the level of Heads of Government, thereby enabling the unanimous endorsement of the Action Plan for Statistics;
  •  There has also been the completion of three out of the four supporting frameworks which Heads agreed should be developed following the endorsement of the CARICOM RSDS, namely the Implementation Plan, a Resource Mobilisation Strategy and a Communication and Advocacy Strategy;
  • The significant work completed thus far on the final framework which is the monitoring and evaluation framework. It is therefore hoped that this meeting will endorse the Compliance scorecard for the Standards and Harmonisation strategic priority of the RSDS, which is an important aspect of the M & E Framework;
  • The identification of core indicators for the CARICOM Specific Millenium Development Goals (CSMDGs)  more recently the CARICOM core SDGS and several regional training workshops and national technical assistance conducted in supporting countries to produce the indicators;
  • The instituting of a Common Regional Approach to Census taking through the implementation of the regional census strategy, the Regional Census Coordinating Committee and the development of a number of regional public goods to benefit countries;
  • The development and implementation of the CARICOM Code of Good Statistical Practices (CGSP) and the implementation of four rounds of the self-assessment questionnaire in Members States and Associate Members;
  • The development of the CARICOM Quality Assurance Framework for Statistics;
  • The development of the CARICOM Model Statistics Bill and its adoption and adaptation in Member States;
  • Development and Implementation of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics in Member States;
  • The Establishment of the Caribbean Association of Professional Statisticians (CAPS);
  • The Development of Electronic CARICOM Institute for Statistics Training and Research (ECISTAR) to ensure sustainable capacity-building in statistics;
  • Development of a Central Repository at the CARICOM Secretariat making it possible to extract data and generate reports for dissemination and reporting;
  • Establishment of Centres of Excellence to enable South-South Cooperation and a permanent attachment programme;
  • Establishment of Technical Working Groups and the Advisory Group on Statistics;
  • The Annual Observance of Caribbean Statistics Day on the 15th of October which motivated the United Nations Statistical Commission to establish World Statistics Day which is celebrated every five years;
  • The hosting of the Regional Statistics Research Seminar which is a mechanism to encourage greater use of statistics, promote research into statistics methods and application, and provide a platform for statisticians, particularly young statisticians and other stakeholders to present research findings for review or to inform on issues that can aid in statistics development;
  • Increased collaboration with international development partners on areas of statistics critical to the Region including trade, economics, food security, gender, agriculture, tourism, poverty, sustainable development, climate change and the environment, crime and security, youth, education, literacy and ICT.

We must acknowledge the sterling contribution of the Former Director of Regional Statistics, Dr. Philomen Harrison as well as the present Director who has provided sterling leadership to the development of statistics in the region.  

So much has been accomplished but there is still a lot to be done. I, therefore, urge you to use the achievements of the past to inspire and motivate future action towards solid results.

 The theme ‘One Voice, One CARICOM, Everyone Counts’ represents the unity, solidarity, and inclusivity within the Caribbean Community, emphasising that every country’s and individual’s contributions and well-being matter in the collective pursuit of regional development. The SCCS exudes this theme as it embodies the very essence of CARICOM. It is a testament to our commitment to work as a collective entity, pooling our strengths and resources to tackle our shared challenges.

In light of the theme in statistics, it is important that everyone counts. This theme speaks to the importance of leaving no one behind in our quest for progress and prosperity, especially as we continue to conduct our census enumeration.

One of the main areas of focus of this series of meetings is the meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee, where great attention will be given to the report on the conduct of the 2020 Round of Population and Housing Census in the region and on supporting Member States with the census enumeration and post-enumeration activities especially given the overwhelming issues that National Statistical Offices faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and still have to contend with in executing this census round. Many of our countries persist with enumeration of the 2020 Round of Population and Housing Census, amidst grave challenges. Thus, the census is taking longer than anticipated. With our combined efforts as a Region and the collective sharing of experiences and lessons learned, I am confident we can find ways to turn this around and have some appreciable results.

It is critical that this most important activity is completed in reasonable time given the importance of the results to national sustainable development, building resilience and the development of a robust and integrated statistical system. The information produced by the census is also critical in informing policies and we should spare no effort in completing this necessary exercise.

CARICOM Member States must be commended for their commitment in undertaking the National Population and Housing census and the effort of your National Statistical Offices is not un-noticed. 

By convening this week, we are signalling our commitment to maintain momentum for the implementation of the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS). Furthermore, this meeting provides a platform for our Member States and Associate Members to report on progress and reflect on challenges, and I urge you to treat the issues with the seriousness they deserve. 

I extend my profound gratitude to our International Development Partners who have stood with us through the years. Your support has been invaluable in building our statistical infrastructure, enhancing our data production, and improving our capacity to deliver accurate and timely information.

I want to specifically thank the European Union for the support that makes this week possible. Under the 11th EDF we have minted a relationship that can only auger well for the future. Commendation must also be given to the Government of The Bahamas who has graciously volunteered to host these meetings.

I must mention the outstanding contribution from former Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell, as a Regional Champion for Statistics and to acknowledge and thank the current Prime Minister, Hon. Dickon Mitchell, for equally championing statistics through his CARICOM Quasi Cabinet responsibility for Science and Technology.  From his message, we can tell that we have another High-Level Champion for Statistics, who will play his part in advancing greater appreciation for statistics in our region.

In conclusion, I extend my warmest appreciation to each one of you for your commitment to the cause of statistics and the development of our Caribbean Community. As we embark on the discussions and deliberations in the coming days, l invite you to engage in constructive dialogue. Build on the strong foundation that has been laid and let us continue to collaborate and ensure we build statistical systems that are resilient, responsive, and aligned with the evolving needs of our Region.

Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen, and do have yourselves a very successful week of deliberations. 

Source: CARICOM TODAY

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