The Central Statistical Office (CSO) is advancing efforts to modernize the way official statistics are collected, analyzed and disseminated in Saint Lucia, with government agencies and key stakeholders contributing to plans for a stronger and more responsive National Statistical System.
The initiative is being undertaken through a series of stakeholder consultations supported by the World Bank-funded OECS Data for Decision Making Project, which seeks to strengthen the capacity of countries in the region to use reliable data to inform evidence-based decision-making.
The CSO recently hosted a two-day stakeholder consultation as part of a broader organizational development initiative aimed at positioning the Office to better respond to the country’s growing demand for reliable, timely and internationally comparable data.
Director of Statistics Sean Mathurin said the consultation builds on an earlier assessment involving CSO staff and is intended to ensure that the perspectives of stakeholders across the National Statistical System inform the modernization process.
“What is intended during the next two days is that the perspectives, information, and discussions from these stakeholders will build on and complement the information that we received from the CSO members of staff. It also intends to identify practical ways where those respective stakeholders can support the modernization process as well as strengthening the National Statistical System.”
Mathurin emphasized that the modernization initiative should not be viewed as an effort to correct deficiencies within the CSO, but rather as a necessary step to ensure that the Office continues to keep pace with changing data demands, technological developments and international statistical standards.
The reforms are expected to be supported by a new Statistical Bill and the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics, providing an enhanced legal and institutional framework for the country’s statistical system.
The technical work is being led by international consultancy DevStat, which has spent several months assessing Saint Lucia’s official statistical system using internationally recognized United Nations assessment tools.
Senior Statistician Romesh Paul said the assessment has focused on identifying the strengths of the existing system, the challenges faced by the CSO and opportunities for modernization.
“We are validating the challenges that the CSO has faced, the strengths of the current statistical system, and also what are the opportunities to modernize.”
Paul explained that the process is also examining the organizational structure of the CSO, with proposals developed for both short-term and longer-term strengthening.
“We have come up with a new organizational structure to strengthen the existing structure in the short term, for about two years, and then we’ve also come up with a wider organizational structure to cover the wider statistical community, which is the statistical system of Saint Lucia.”
The modernization exercise is also examining staffing requirements, budgetary needs and technological investments necessary to establish a statistical office capable of meeting the country’s future information needs.
Particular attention is being given to strengthening information technology capacity and ensuring that the CSO is positioned to take advantage of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Among the stakeholders participating in the consultation was Paul Kallicharan, Head of the Statistics and Research Unit at the National Insurance Corporation. He said the proposed reforms could significantly enhance the CSO’s ability to serve the country.
“I think what is being proposed now will enable the Central Statistical Office to be better organized as a unit to serve the nation better in terms of providing key statistics on time and to provide accurate statistics. And they can do that by gaining the support of all the other institutions within the country.”
Kallicharan said agencies such as the National Insurance Corporation are prepared to support the modernization effort through stronger data sharing, improved classification and more effective dissemination of statistical information.
A modernized Central Statistical Office and strengthened National Statistical System are expected to provide policymakers, businesses, researchers and the public with improved access to reliable and timely information to support planning, investment, policy development and sustainable national development.
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