The Government of the Virgin Islands is joining its regional counterparts in observing Caribbean Statistics Day (CSD) today, October 15  as it promotes the need for up-to-date information and enhanced data collection. 

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) will observe the day with a virtual presentation via their CSO VI Facebook page. The presentation will showcase VI statistics in particular in the movement of prices and other statistical data. In addition, the data presented will highlight every unit within the department to show the public how much statistics are generated, and most importantly, how they are used.

According to the department, the rationale for the observance of Caribbean Statistics Day is to increase awareness of the importance of statistics and its critical role across the Caribbean and throughout the World as the CSO’s mandate is shared with various sections which include the Economic Statistics, National Accounts and Government Finance Statistics, and Social Statistics Sections. 

The CSO, whose remit includes statistics, intends to use Caribbean Statistics Day to educate government officials, the private sector and the public on the importance of statistics, promote its usage and demonstrate how statistics are used. 

The department said its ongoing task is to impress upon the population (and other data providers) the importance of having statistics readily available and that this could only be possible, if the data providers cooperate with the efforts of the Statistics Department when executing data collection exercises. 

The department also aims to use Statistics Day to demonstrate and bring awareness to the work it does and advocate the benefits of Statistics and the indispensable role it plays in the socio-economic development of the Virgin Islands. 

The  public is invited to visit the CSO’s BVI Facebook page and get a glance of the department’s goal of encouraging and developing a culture of data sharing among the population, and sensitise users, suppliers and producers of data of the importance of statistics in decision making, planning, policy formulation and research. 

Activities to observe this year’s Caribbean Statistics Day are being held under the theme, “Harmonising Data, Strengthening Resilience”.  The Territory’s observance of the day is in line with the Government of The Virgin Islands’ mission to collaborate with regional counterparts, in addition to highlighting its commitment to enhanced data collection and production.