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GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell hopes the 50th anniversary of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) will allow Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments to take “deliberate actions” to strengthen national statistical offices and systems.
The 50th anniversary, which will be observed on Tuesday, coincides with the 16th observance of Caribbean Statistics Day, which will be held under the theme “Improving Lives through Statistics, Strengthening and Innovating Together.”
Mitchell, the current CARICOM chairman, said recognition of the two anniversaries “will ensure the provision of high-quality, timely statistics for users, including government policymakers, the private sector, researchers/academia and all citizens, particularly our youth, who must be armed with evidence to detect misinformation in this digital era.
“Then we need to find creative and innovative ways of engendering statistics as a math-based science in our schools in cultivating the next generation of statisticians, data scientists, and related experts who can drive innovation in statistics and lead our region into the future.”
Mitchell, who has lead responsibility for Science and Technology in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, said it is incumbent on him to stress that statistics “are not just numbers on a page; they tell a story of the people we serve.
“This information is the bedrock of good governance in guiding national and regional policies that seek to improve the lives of our people,” he said.
Mitchell said that in addition to celebrating Caribbean Statistics Day and SCCS’s 50th anniversary, several milestones are also being observed this year. These include the 30th anniversary of adopting the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the 10th anniversary of their endorsement by the UN General Assembly.
The region will also be observing the fourth High-Level Advocacy Forum on Statistics, which is scheduled to be held in Belize in the periphery of the 49th meeting of the SCCS, the regional leaders endorsed the midpoint of implementing the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) a few years ago.
“Together, these milestones underscore the indispensable role of statistics in the sustainable development of our region and unearth the need for greater commitment to its enhancement,” Mitchell said, adding that “they also highlight the region’s obligation to transparency, accountability, and excellence in data production.”
He said the CARICOM Quality assurance framework and Code of Good Statistics practice are grounded in the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.
“Meeting these obligations and achieving the outcome of the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics requires strengthening partnerships in mobilizing resources for statistics development.”
Mitchell said that as the region enters another decade of its statistical journey, it needs to reflect on the last five in which the SCCS embraced and promoted regional collaboration by strengthening the ability of Caribbean countries to collect, analyze, disseminate, and use data.
“The success of the Committee is a testament to the commitment and dedication of our statisticians, who often have limited resources to work with but have managed to maintain the production of data in core areas of statistics.
“The invaluable support of our development partners and stakeholders must be recognized and commended. Much has been achieved, and much more can be done if the infrastructure of National Statistical Offices and other data-producing agencies are strengthened.”
Prime Minister Mitchell said the recently adopted Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Islands Development States (SIDS) highlights the need to invest in building human and institutional capacity in SIDS to collect quality, accessible, timely, and reliable disaggregated data and strengthen and modernize national data infrastructure and systems.
He said natural disasters continue to erode the region’s development progress and thus weaken its ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
“It must be emphasized that statistics is critical in saving lives, restoring livelihoods, and reporting on our social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities. Thus, good statistics are needed to strengthen our region’s case in the fight for climate justice.”
Mitchell said that good statistics are also essential in pursuing sustainable tourism, renewable energy, the blue and orange economies, agriculture, and food and nutrition security, as well as in monitoring free movement and the impact of the changing dynamics of the region’s population.
“Let us recognize, in a more excellent way, the vital role that statistics play in shaping our region’s future. By strengthening our collaboration and embracing innovation, we can ensure that our statistical systems remain robust, resilient, and relevant. Thus, producing better data drives better decisions, ultimately resulting in better lives for all our citizens,” Mitchell added.
Conclusion:
The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of statistics in shaping the future of the Caribbean region.
FAQs:
- What is the 50th anniversary of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS)?
It is a milestone that coincides with the 16th observance of Caribbean Statistics Day. - What is the theme of the Caribbean Statistics Day?
It is "Improving Lives through Statistics, Strengthening and Innovating Together." - What are some of the milestones being observed this year?
The 30th anniversary of adopting the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, the 10th anniversary of their endorsement by the UN General Assembly, and the 50th anniversary of the SCCS. - What is the purpose of the High-Level Advocacy Forum on Statistics?
It is to strengthen partnerships in mobilizing resources for statistics development and to encourage transparency, accountability, and excellence in data production.