1. HIGH-LEVEL ADVOCACY FORUM ON STATISTICS AND THE GLOBAL CRISIS
Enabling Development in the Caribbean Community
30 July 2009, Port-of –Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

2. TOPIC OF PRESENTATION Improving the Responsiveness of National Statistical Systems in Small-Island Developing States to Current and Emerging Statistical Data Needs By: Glenn Avilez, Director-General Statistical Institute of Belize

3. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Current and emerging statistical data needs
Challenges faced by national statistical systems in responding to data needs
Practical recommendations on how to address challenges

4. STATISTICAL DATA NEEDS
Current
Emerging
Millennium Development Goals
Other International Agreed Development Goals
National and sectoral development goals
General Data Dissemination System
Climate Change
Information and Communications Technology
Financial statistics
Literacy statistics
(poverty, universal primary ed., gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability, global partnership for development

5. Shortage of Human Resources
Small staff sizes
Officers are responsible for several areas
Very limited statistical training opportunities
Unattractive salaries and benefits
Well-known aphorism: Jack of all trades, master of none

6. Based on population size, Haiti’s national statistical office is by far the smallest (0.1 person per 10,000) in the region. The next smallest are the NSOs in Belize, Guyana and Jamaica, with 1 staff member per 10,000 persons in their population. Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Grenada are the largest, each with more than 2.5 staff members per 10,000 population

8. Disparate IT Systems
Most statistical personnel are assigned personal computers
Apart from the NSO’s, the information systems of statistical units are generally weak and incompatible

9. Limited Finance
Budgets are largely based on the previous year’s expenditure
They do not normally allow for new activities, especially those emerging during the financial year

10. Few Regular Surveys
The most common ones being the labour force, consumer price index and establishment surveys
Surveys focus on a single subject. Modules on special topics are sometimes allowed

11. Long & Irregular Intervals Between Key Surveys
Main examples are the poverty, demographic and health and household expenditure surveys
In several cases, the intervals between these surveys are longer than the international recommendation
Very costly and require a lot of preparation time

12. No National Statistical Work Programme
Lack of coordination between NSO and other producers of official statistics
Minimal communication between data producers and users

13. Limited Executive Support
There seems to be general disinterest in statistics among senior public officials
Enthusiasm of technical staff dampened
Head of NSO does not participate in key high level committees

14. Practical Recommendations
Human Resources
Rationalise statistical functions of small offices
Develop tailor-made training materials.
Adjust compensation packages of statistical personnel

15. Practical Recommendations cont’d
Finance
Hire a “fundraiser” to generate income from non-traditional sources
Lobby government for greater budgetary support

16. Practical Recommendations cont’d
Few Surveys
Replace single-topic surveys with multi-topic (all-in-one) surveys
Irregular surveys
Develop and implement a multi-year survey programme

17. Practical Recommendations cont’d
Coordination and advocacy
Establish a national statistical systems
Grant autonomy to NSO

18. Thank You!