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Revolutionising our Statistics Developing our Societies A Transformative Agenda for Official Statistics for the OECS Region 2017 to 2030 From Us About Us For Us One Community G r o w i n g T o g e t h e r 3 September, 2017 For more information, contact: Statistical Services Unit Economic Affairs and Regional Integration Division Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) The Commission Morne Fortune Castries Saint Lucia Tel: (758) 455 6346 | 455 6358 | 455 6319 Email: OECSRSDS@oecs.org Website: www.oecs.org Contents Acronyms........................................................................................................................................................ i Message from the Director General ............................................................................................................... i Message from the Governor, ECCB ............................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgment.......................................................................................................................................... iii PART 1 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 7 RSDS in a Nutshell ....................................................................................................................................... 10 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ......................................................................................... 11 Development Agenda for the OECS Economic Union .................................................................................. 12 Background to the OECS RSDS .................................................................................................................... 14
14 Where are We Now ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Operating Environment for the OECS RSDS ................................................................................................. 25 PART 2 The OECS RSDS: The Transformative Agenda .............................................................................................. 28 The OECS RSDS: Strategic Priorities ............................................................................................................. 29 Statistical Development Clusters ................................................................................................................. 31 Guiding Principles ........................................................................................................................................ 33 Success Factors............................................................................................................................................ 34 Assumptions and Risks ................................................................................................................................ 34 Strategic Objectives and Desired Outcomes ............................................................................................... 35 Strategic Objectives and Expected Results .................................................................................................. 39 Cross-Cutting Themes ................................................................................................................................. 63 OECS Data Ecosystem .................................................................................................................................. 65 Implementation Plan and Arrangements .................................................................................................... 66 National Statistics Work Plans
 ..................................................................................................................... 69 Resource Mobilisation ................................................................................................................................. 72 Roles and Responsibilities ........................................................................................................................... 75 Monitoring and Evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 78 Advocacy and Communication Programme ................................................................................................ 82 PART 3 Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................................ 84 Boxes Box 1: NSS Provided for in Statistical Law...................................................................................................... 5 Box 2: Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) ............................................................. 10 Box 3: Revised Treaty of Basseterre ............................................................................................................ 15 Box 4: Data Deprivation ............................................................................................................................... 16 Box 5: OECS Commission Strategic Objectives ........................................................................................... 36 Box 6: The EAC endorses an Integrated Approach to Statistical Development ........................................... 62 Box 7: OECS Youth Strategy Pillars .............................................................................................................. 64 Box 8: FAO’s Guide to Resource Mobilisations
 ............................................................................................ 75 Figures Figure 1: Schematic Representation of the National Statistical System ........................................................ 5 Figure 2: ECCU-OECS-CARICOM Country Membership ................................................................................. 9 Figure 3: OECS-ECCB Regional Groups and Mechanisms ............................................................................ 17 Figure 4: SWOT Analysis of the OECS RSS .................................................................................................... 21 Figure 5: World Bank Statistical Capacity Indicators ................................................................................... 24 Figure 6: 2015 OpenData Index for 6 Member States ................................................................................. 24 Figure 7: Statistical Legislation Enactment Year .......................................................................................... 25 Figure 8: Statistical Development Clusters .................................................................................................. 31 Figure 9: Priority Levels, Phases and Time Frames ...................................................................................... 67 Figure 10 Translating the OECS RSDS Log Frame to National Statistics Work Plans .................................... 69 Figure 11: From NSDS to RSDS .................................................................................................................... 70 Figure 12: From OECS RSDS to National Work Plans ................................................................................... 71 Figure 13: Governance Arrangements for OESC RSDS ................................................................................ 81 Tables Table 1: Member States’ National Development Plans
 ............................................................................... 12 Table 2: Governance Arrangements, Networking and Technical Groups .................................................... 19 Table 3: Recommendations from the OECS RSS Assessment ...................................................................... 22 Table 4: Strategic Priorities and Desired Future State ................................................................................. 29 Table 5: Assumptions and Risks ................................................................................................................... 34 Table 6: Strategic Objectives and Desired Outcomes .................................................................................. 37 Table 7: Monitoring and Oversight Bodies .................................................................................................. 78 Table 8: Risk Mitigation Strategy ................................................................................................................. 79 Annexes Annex I: Definition of Official Statistics, NSO, NSS, RSS ............................................................................... 86 Annex II: Extract of an Indicative Implementation Plan ............................................................................... 86 Annex III: Activities, Principles and Practices of Official Statistics Organised by Clusters ............................ 87 Annex IV: OECS RSS SWOT Analysis Grouped by Statistical Development Clusters ..................................... 91 Annex V: Recommendations for the OECS RSS Grouped by Clusters ......................................................... 93 Annex VI: Linking the OECS RSDS to the CARICOM Action Plan and the Global Transformative Agenda .... 94 Annex VII: Linking the CARICOM Action Plan to the OECS RSDS.................................................................. 96 Annex VIII: Statistical Services Unit
 ............................................................................................................. 98 Annex IX: Quality aAssessment and Capacity Measurement Tools ............................................................. 99 Acronyms Acronym Definition ANSAC Anguilla National Statistics Advisory Committee DFID UK Department for International Development DISA Database of International Statistical Activities DPTFS Development Partners Taskforce for Statistics EAC Economic Affairs Council ECCB Eastern Caribbean Central Bank ECCU Eastern Caribbean Currency Union HBS Household Budget Survey LAA Labour Administration Application LFS Labour Force Survey LMIS Labour Market Information System LSMC Living Standards Measurement Committee MPI Multi-Poverty Indicators NSDS National Strategy for the Development of Statistics NSO National Statistics Office NSS National Statistical System OECS Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States PARIS21 Partners for Statistics in the 21st Century PGISA Principles Governing International Statistical Activities RSDS Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics RTB Revised Treaty of Basseterre SAMOA SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action SDC statistical development clusters SDG Sustainable Development Goals SDP Sustainable Household Data Programme SLC Survey of Living Conditions SSU Statistical Services Unit UNDP United Nations Development Fund WB World Bank i Acronym Definition ii Message from the Director General Didacus Jules, PhD.
Director General, OECS Commission I express sincere appreciation for the collaborative work that culminated in this forwarding thinking master plan for official statistics for the OECS Member States.

Our theme Revolutionising Our Statistics | Developing Our Societies succinctly captures our vision and hints at the imperative for an integrated regional statistical system serving coordinated national statistical systems.
The OECS RSDS details, charts and schedules a 14-year master plan to transform official statistics for targeted policies, decisions and programmes that the 21st century demands.

It expresses our resolve and commitment for a bold and broad transformative agenda for official statistics to fulfil our desire for regional integration; and to sustain the architecture and mechanisms of a single economic and financial space.
The RSDS also recognises and accommodates the idiosyncrasies of small island development states and the modalities for achieving the sustainable development goals.

The urgency for widening the scope, and improving the availability of and access to statistics justifies why the Commission is uniquely well-placed to help the Member States overcome perennial statistical development challenges.
Our mandate for joint programmes and common policies for social, environmental and economic development depends on the quantitative evidence described by time, space and location.

New and innovative technologies are offering easy and fast ways to disseminate, mine and interrogate statistics.
There are tools and techniques that can support fascinating exposition of trends, patterns; and phenomena; geographically locating them at the community, district/parish, national or electoral constituency level – where it is happening, vividly and tangibly.
By using these and other new information and communication technologies in a networked single financial and economic space - where no one dominates and everyone can and should play a part - we can multiply the power of our knowledge; intensify our efforts to deepen integration; and share the benefits of our success.
The Commission looks forward to working with the Member States, other OECS institutions such as the ECCB, regional development partners like CDB, CARICOM Secretariat, and the international development partners to implement the OECS RSDS.

i Message from the Governor, ECCB Timothy Antoine Governor, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is pleased to support this very important and timely initiative that seeks to concretise the development of statistics as a regional imperative.
Over the years, the Bank has provided technical assistance to its member countries, in their efforts at expanding their data sets and broadening their data coverage.

This assistance has traditionally been in macroeconomic and financial statistics.

Although small size has been a challenge to development, the existence of a harmonised approach and framework to measure and monitor our macroeconomic fundamentals, especially our economic growth, has been invaluable.
It is therefore fitting that we take the necessary steps through this OECS RSDS, to build on our past successes, anticipating challenges, while resolute about achievements, guided by this cogent strategic plan.

ii The OECS RSDS provides a compelling signal to interested parties that the OECS, as a region, recognises that to achieve sustainable growth it is imperative that development partners coordinate their programmes and investment to effectively support member countries.
The ECCB aspires to be a model institution for thoughtful and influential policy advice to facilitate the development of a strong and thriving currency union.

Cognisant that high quality statistics are required for informing and understanding many aspects of our day-to-day lives, the Bank is pleased to collaborate with the OECS Commission and development partners to bring this aspiration to fruition.
Through the implementation of the OECS RSDS, the region would be better able to measure and monitor key indicators of our development goals, namely high and sustained economic growth, low unemployment, low inflation and strong investor confidence, ultimately leading to improved quality of life for citizens of the region.

We recognise that good statistics are fundamental to the development of our region.
They quantify the impact of external and internal events; inform governments and the public as to the state of the country and measure where we are with respect to our goals.

The Bank therefore applauds and supports the efforts of the OECS Commission and the member countries in their focused efforts to advance a regional strategy for the development of statistics.

In this essential endeavour, the ECCB stands with you.

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Many people and organisations were solicited for feedback on their experiences with data access and data quality.

Public sector officials, private sector, civil society provided good information that helped us to craft a forward-thinking master plan.

The findings informed an objective assessment of our current state of play and helped expose the statistical development phenomena that require strategic interventions.
Our gratitude extends to the PARIS21 Secretariat for providing extensive technical advice and support.

Other development partners provided valuable inputs and comments for the development of the OECS RSDS.

They include: Caribbean Development Bank, CARICOM Regional Statistics Programme, UNECLAC, UNICEF, UNWOMEN, Statistics Canada, UNICEF, FAO.

We are tremendously grateful to everyone who participated in meetings, workshops, video conferences and other consultation events.
Acknowledgment The OECS Commission is proud to present the OECS Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics 2017 to 2030.

We enormously thank all the leaders of the national statistical offices and their staff, Commission staff, partners in statistics, development partners and stakeholders for their unreserved contribution and cooperation to help us to realise this milestone.

The decision to develop the OECS RSDS was taken by Heads of national statistical offices in 2010 (See page iv).
Progress toward this milestone was supported financially with a grant from the UK Department for International Development with project implementation administered by UNDP and World Bank.

A consultative and transparent process was guided by the OECS RSDS Technical Committee – Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, World Bank, UNDP Sub-Regional Office and the Commission; and overseen by the OECS Living Standards and Measurement Committee.
On this occasion, the Commission extends distinct gratitude to all for their guidance, advice and overall contribution to the process.

Gale Archibald, PhD Head, Statistical Services Unit Economic Affairs and Regional Integration Division OECS Commission iii Executive Summary The OECS Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) is essentially a forward- thinking master plan that provides a comprehensive framework for statistical development at the national and regional levels.
For the most part, it elucidates a vision of where the OECS regional statistical system (RSS), as a supra system, should be in the medium- to long-term.

It assesses the starting point from which progress can be measured, describes and charts a journey with scheduled milestones and means and tools to assess how fast and well we are getting there.

The RSDS also includes a mechanism for communicating how well we are progressing towards our vision.
Statistical development attracts tremendous activity, high expectations and significant investments.

It constitutes efforts to improve the statistical capacity and capability of a country to improve and sustain the availability and accessibility of actionable high quality official statistics.

To achieve this, countries, and small island developing states in particular, and regions are responding to the call to design long-term plans to strengthen their national statistical systems.
Background and Context The Revised Treaty of Basseterre (RTB) establishing the OECS Economic Union alongside the 33- year old Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), elevated the imperative for regional integration, emphasising its purpose to ultimately foster and accelerate economic, social and cultural development as well as environmental sustainability.
To fully succeed, the process requires not only quality statistical information, but also comparable data across time and space to inform and measure progress.

An assessment of the OECS RSS produced several recommendations that contributed to the design of the RSDS generally including better coordinated national and regional data collection and other statistical programmes, with the regional institutions serving as sources of specialised skills and advocacy support.
Motivation and Justification Crafting the OECS RSDS is motivated by achievements such as set of common policies, strategies and action plans for some sectors; harmonised collections for population census and labour force surveys; a sustainable household data programme; and standardised information technology for computer-aided personal interviewing.
Moreover, there are several regional networking and technical groups constructed to bring technical expertise to support the regimes and protocols of the Treaty.
The existence of a single currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, among eight countries of the OECS (See Figure 2), is not only a differentiating feature of the Economic Union (compared to other regions), it is also a pre-requisite for greater harmonisation, macro-economic policy 1 convergence and for common approaches for national development and regional integration.
We are further motivated by CARICOM’s acknowledgement that the OECS Economic Union has achieved accelerated integration and offer best practice examples for the wider region.

Development Agenda The OECS Growth and Development Strategy (OGDS) outlines a development framework that promises enhanced quality of life for citizens in the OECS region.
It leverages the opportunities of the single economic and financial space; embraces the need for structural reforms geared towards boosting private sector investment and productivity; and recognises the need for comprehensive support to the productive aspects of economy – tourism and agriculture in particular.
Emphasis is also placed on education, health, social development and protection, citizen security, energy, environmental management and ocean governance as the foundation for stable and sustained high levels of growth.

Where Are We Now Despite the manifest progress with production of official statistics, there remain several major challenges facing the OECS RSS.
They include many constraints, including statistical legislation that could be modernised; inadequate resources being allocated to statistical activities; weak institutional capacity; low profile of statistics; inadequate coordination of statistical activities; and feeble demand and use of official statistics.

The RSS is therefore expected to scale up its efforts toward regional statistical integration to address the imperative for harmonised approaches and quality official statistics.
The assessment of the OECS RSS includes an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (See Figure 3) and espouses 20 recommendations (See Table 2) to address the factors that frustrate the availability and access to official statistics in the OECS region.

The Vision Successful implementation of the OECS RSDS will create a future state evidenced by an empowered, responsive and visible regional statistical system.
The vision will be realised by pushing a bold, brave and broad transformative agenda to satisfy the evidential requirements for all aspects of economic, social and environmental development of the OECS Economic Union.

The vision is anchored in five strategic priorities:  Design and formalise the OECS Regional Statistical System (RSS) This priority envisions a regional statistical system regulated by an apex authority for the development, production and dissemination of official statistics.
It would require national statistical legislation to be updated, appropriate governance arrangements to be institutionalised and professional values and principles to be adopted.

2  Consolidate and fortify national statistical systems Strengthening the institutional, organisational and human capacity of the NSS is at the core of the RSDS.
Without a strong operational foundation, the NSS constituents will be constrained in their ability to select, prioritise, produce and disseminate the harmonised, quality and comparable official statistics that are necessary for the development and the integration agendas.

This priority also embodies initiatives to produce statistical talent, enhance coordination between and among the actors in the NSS, improve statistical programming and budgeting and overall leadership and management.
 Join and respond to the data revolution The aim of this priority is to cover the data requirements for all dimensions of integration and national development: economic, social, environmental and cultural.

The approach entails undertaking regular censuses, surveys, and strengthening, leveraging and integrating administrative and other sources of data.

The data revolution calls for exploring and exploiting the information technology more aggressively and innovatively than ever before.
Modern ways of collecting/capturing/gathering, integrating, accessing and storing data are fundamental to this priority.

 Extract insights and tell the stories This strategic priority attends to data dissemination, visualisation, analysis and use.

It calls for the statistical value chain to produce actionable data for a variety of users for multiple statistical purposes.

Implementing the interventions for this priority includes actions to create partnerships for data visualisation and analysis.
In so doing, the system can produce a variety of new knowledge, insights and ideas.

 Trumpet and value official statistics This strategic priority intends to reverse the vicious cycle of performance that plagues the system.

The RSDS conceives advocacy as an entry point for elevating the profile of statistics, investment in statistics by governments, and erasing the perceptions, myths and phobias associated with data collection and use.
Statisticians, their work and how it contributes to national development and regional integration will be celebrated and rewarded.

A taxonomy of six statistical development clusters is used to group the strategic interventions.

They represent a clean approach that is consistent with the lexicon of statistical development.

They are statistical governance, statistical administration, statistical infrastructure, statistical undertakings, statistical advocacy and statistical cooperation.
The intersection of the clusters with the three statistical domains - economic and business; social and demographic; and environmental and energy - exposes the foci for statistical interventions.

3 Principles and Success Factors Five principles and six success factors have been articulated for the OECS RSDS.

The principles are subsidiarity, alignment, mutual accountability and shared responsibility; and the success factors are leadership, communication, resources, politics, engagement and measurement.
Implementation Plan and Arrangements An implementation plan is a central element of the OECS RSDS.

Three phases are defined and described by one 6-, and two 4-year bands that also define the priority levels for interventions.

These interventions will consider national priorities, regional requirements and global commitments.
The implementation plan details actions and activities and their link to the SDGs, the CARICOM RSWP and Action Plan for the Improvement of Statistics, costing, responsibility centres and expected results.

Member States will be encouraged to extract a single or multi-year national work programme from the OECS RSDS.

Governance arrangements for the OECS RSDS will be formalised early in the implementation stage.
Notwithstanding, the OECS SRSDS Steering Committee and the Living Standards Measurement Committee are two regional mechanisms that will oversee and direct the statistical master plan.

At the national level, Member States are pursuing the establishment of national governance arrangements whether with advisory, coordinating and/or consultative functions.
Resource Mobilisation The cost of implementing the OECS RSDS and establishing all institutional arrangements will be borne by combination of Member States’ government investment and resources from development partners.

These resources will include grants, technical assistance, equipment and government funding.

They will form part of regional initiatives and projects; as well as bi-lateral arrangements between Member States and development partners.
Advocacy and Communication An advocacy programme will complement the OECS RSDS and administered collaboratively among the OECS Commission’s Communication Services Unit, Statistical Services Unit, the ECCB, the NSOs and other regional and international partners for statistics.

The programme consists of advocacy strategies, campaigns and events.
The target audiences of this OECS RSDS are, in the main, the executive arm of governments, the legislature, judiciary and multilateral systems of government, as well as education institutions, private sector establishments, non-government organisations, civil society organisations, community and special interest groups, students, researchers, the media, and the general citizenry.
It also targets development partners, investors and others who have an interest in the economic, social and environment development of the OECS Economic Union.

4 Figure 1: Schematic Representation of the National Statistical System Box 1: NSS Provided for in Statistical Law Antigua and Barbuda and the St Vincent and The Grenadines (1983) are the only two Member States where the statistical legislation refers to an NSS.
Antigua and Barbuda’s 1975 General Statistics Act states provides for the NSS this way: “…The head of the Statistics Division shall act as the Statistics Authority for Antigua and Barbuda and shall be responsible for taking, from time to time, appropriate measures to organise and develop a national statistical system capable of meeting effectively the statistical needs of social and economic planning …” The national statistical system (NSS) is the ensemble of statistical organisations and units within a country that jointly collect, process and disseminate official statistics on behalf of national government OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms The NSS provision for most of the remaining Member States reads as follows: “to collaborate with departments of Government and with local authorities in the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of statistical records of administrations and departments; and generally to organise a coordinated scheme of social and economic statistics pertaining to the 5 6 Introduction The Third International Conference on Financing for Development presented a unique opportunity for the global community to make a firm commitment to improve core data systems, crucial to monitor and implement the SDGs.
According to the Data for Development: An Action Plan to Finance the Data Revolution for SDGS, international assistance will be crucial to support countries’ modernisation efforts.

It also estimates “US$1 billion a year will be required to enable 77 of the world’s lower-income countries to put in place statistical systems capable of supporting and measuring the SDGs.

The good data can lower the costs of borrowing money.
The IMF has found that, if emerging market and developing countries invest in better quality data, they can reduce the cost of borrowing by an average of 20%!

And thus, official statistics were elevated as a sector to be developed.

Statistical development can be considered a concept, an activity and a professional practice.

In recent times, though not clearly defined, it has morphed into a popular topic of discussion, action and functional cooperation.
It attracts tremendous activity, high expectations and significant investments.

An attempt at defining statistical development postures it as constituting efforts to improve the statistical capacity and capability of a country.
These efforts usually take the form of initiatives to build and/or strengthen systems, adopt new technologies, enhance skills, provide technical assistance, improve processes, create and reinforce networks and partnerships, increase advocacy, and mobilse resources with consensus on the outcome of availability and accessibility of actionable high quality official statistics.

This broad scope for statistical development necessitated a structured and long-range focus.

Why a Strategic Approach?


It was in 2004 in Marrakech, Morocco at a meeting of the Second International Roundtable on Managing for Development Results when this clear message was expressed - better statistics are needed to achieve better development results.

The outcome was the Marrakech Action Plan - Better Data for Better Results: An Action Plan for Improving Development Statistics.
It listed priorities for improving development statistics that ushered the imperative for a strategic approach to develop official statistics.

Among the recommendations was the imperative to “mainstream strategic planning of statistical systems and prepare national statistical development strategies for all low-income countries by 2006”.
The realisation of this goal pursued three conditions, two applicable ones were: (i) incorporate national statistical development strategies in result-based strategic planning processes such as the poverty reduction strategy papers and include them in the policy dialogue between developing countries and donors; and (ii) ensure that all donor-specific statistical programmes support and complement national statistical plans.
7 The Marrakech Action Plan (MAPS) was succeeded by a renewed action plan for statistics labelled Statistics for Transparency, Accountability, and Results: A Busan Action Plan for Statistics (BAPS) endorsed by the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan 2011.

The renewed action plan built on the progress made under the MAPS, while providing directions for the period up to 2021.
Since MAPS and BAPS, some 100 countries have crafted, but not necessarily implementing, national strategies for the development of statistics (NSDS) and four regions, the Central America Statistical Commission of the System of Integration of Central America, Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Pacific Islands Region have produced a regional strategy for the development of statistics (RSDS).
In the case of the CARICOM region, a 2005 Regional Statistics Work Programme (RSWP) was produced and recently complemented with an Action Plan endorsed by the Heads on Government in July 2016.

According to PARIS21, an RSDS defines the “specific regional or sub-regional statistical priorities consistent with regional development goals and policies; and consider capacity building needs of member countries to enable them to deliver on regional statistical needs”.
An Imperative for SIDS These strategies now must be designed in earnest for the remaining countries and regions to incorporate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the Agenda presents a big challenge for national and regional statistical systems, particularly that of developing countries.
This challenge is recognised by the global development community and addressed with the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway which reaffirms “that small island developing states remain a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities and that they remain constrained in meeting their goals in all three dimensions of sustainable development … and stresses that, in the absence of international cooperation, success will remain difficult”.
In a document entitled Advancing Statistical Development in Small Island Developing States in the Post-2015 Era: the NSDS Approach, PARIS21 identified six dimensions of strategic statistical planning that are particularly relevant to the SIDS statistical systems:  Promote advocacy and political commitment for statistics;  Strengthen the independence, transparency and integrity of the NSS;  Coordinate data producers in the statistical system;  Establish a programming approach for statistics;  Promote data analysis and dissemination as a priority activity of the NSS;  Foster dialogue with data users and producers.
8 As SIDS, the OECS Member States accept the regional approach for statistical development as urgent and appealing for many reasons and from many perspectives.

The urgency for the OECS RSDS derives from global obligations and technological advances, while the impetus stems from imperatives for national growth and development, and from regional requirements to progress toward full integration of the OECS Economic Union and to maintain a sound and safe financial system for the currency union.
Our context is disposed to, conducive and configured for an RSDS.

Figure 2: ECCU-OECS-CARICOM Country Membership The other CARICOM countries are Bahamas.

Barbados.

Belize.

Guyana.

Haiti.

Jamaica.

Suriname.

Trinidad and Tobago This document describes the background, motivation and justification for the OECS RSDS and sets its urgency against the practicalities and realities of the current situation for official statistics and the triggers and drivers from the global and regional environment.
It describes the vision and the strategic priorities for the OECS RSDS and the tools, resources and mechanisms to implement, monitor and evaluate progress.

An advocacy programme is indicated as an indispensable component of the RSDS.

The strategic objectives along with related action plans, and expected results for the national and reginal statistical system are detailed, with initiatives elaborated in an implementation plan.
9 RSDS in a Nutshell According to the PARIS21, the RSDS’s objective is to use an action plan as a tool that “meets the requirements of regional integration policies and ensures that the statistical information produced by the attendant NSSs is comparable”.

The RSDS should respond to the data and official statistical needs of the regional agenda without infringing on any country’s national sovereignty.
Its action plan should be derived from a consensus between and among regional authorities and all countries involved.

An emphatic statement from the PARIS21 is “the RSDS process must, by transcending national constraints, take into consideration a regional vision and new players: the authorities and agencies of the integration system.
Consultation, accordingly, is not simply carried out within a country’s borders; it also takes place across borders, between the member countries of the integration area and regional authorities”.
Box 2: Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) An RSDS fulfils the following tasks:  production of data (deemed regional) for regional policy-making needs; production of national statistics and production of data with a strictly regional dimension (ex: climate change); involving NSSs and statistical services;  coordination of national and regional programmes aimed at producing regional data, including programmes of surveys and censuses; synchronisation with national planning processes;  harmonisation of conceptual frameworks and methods to obtain the comparable data required by the institution, including the adoption of binding statistical regulations, in compliance with recommendations and international standards and in association with national councils;  representation with respect to external partner organisations; relations with donors, including the adoption of joint positions in major meetings of the global statistical system;  exchange of best practices in terms of coordination and statistical capacity building between more advanced and less advanced countries in the region.
www.PARIS21.org A national strategy for the development of statistics (NSDS) and the RSDS are complementary processes, each taking account of the requirements and activities of the other, with the RSDS being attentive to national level constraints and limitations and the countries’ needs for statistical development.

In the case of the OECS Economic Union, the selected route for a forward thinking master plan has implications for the speed with which initiatives can be crafted, prioritised and costed.
Only one direction offers the best synergies, is efficient and has value-added benefits.

10 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012 endorsed the outcome document entitled “The future we want”.
Heads of Government with full participation of civil society, renewed their commitment “to sustainable development to ensure the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations.

...

In this regard, they committed to freeing humanity from poverty and hunger as a matter of urgency”.
Affirming that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities to achieve sustainable development in its three dimensions, the global agenda commits to an action plan for people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership.

Among the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda are the following: 1.
Mainstream sustainable development at all levels, integrating economic, social and environmental aspects and recognising their interlinkages; 2.

Greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion; 3.

A world that is just, equitable and inclusive; 4.


Freedom, peace and security, respect for all human rights, including the right to development and the right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food, the rule of law, gender equality, women’s empowerment and the overall commitment to just and democratic societies for development; 5.
Economic stability, sustained economic growth, the promotion of social equity and the protection of the environment, while enhancing gender equality, women’s empowerment and equal opportunities for all, and the protection, survival and development of children to their full potential, including through education; 6.

A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; 7.
A broad alliance of people, governments, civil society and the private sector, all working together to secure the future we want for present and future generations 11 Development Agenda for the OECS Economic Union The vision priorities for the OECS Economic Union are aimed at reducing external vulnerabilities and boosting sustainable growth and development.
The articulated economic vision priorities for the Union are:  Jobs (employment creation)  Food Security and Production  Renewable Energy ICT and the Digital Economy   Transportation  Climate Change/Disaster Management These priorities emanated from extensive consultation with a broad cross-section of stakeholders in the OECS Member States.

They correspond to areas of either tremendous challenge or niche opportunities for the Economic Union.
They are our major development areas and the justification for a regional approach for statistical development and the contextual realities make up the rationale for the content and time horizon of the OECS RSDS.

Sustained development progress will require long-term cooperation between international partners and governments.
More broadly, deeper economic integration, more equitable resource-sharing agreements, increasingly shared labour markets and adaptation to climate change are among the vital conditions for the sustainable future of the OECS Economic Union.

All OECS Member States share similar challenges as vulnerable island developing economies.

They are small in size, occupying a total land mass of nearly 3,100 sq.

km, with limited natural resources and service-based economies.
Their openness makes them very susceptible to economic volatility, and their geo-coordinates make them vulnerable to natural disasters.

The region’s combined population is just over 620,000 people for the Anglo-Saxon Member States, ranging from 5,000 to 178,000; and 1.2m when Martinique is included.

There are approximately 310,000 households, a school-aged population of just over 180,000 (up to fifth form), a labour force of roughly 290,000 persons and roughly 36,000 establishments.
Six of the nine Member States covered by the OECS RSDS are independent.

The remaining three are Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom.

Eight Member States make up the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) (See Figure 2).

National Growth and Development Plans The OECS Member States whose national development plans/frameworks were referenced for the OECS RSDS are listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Member States’ National Development Plans Member State Strategy Vision Antigua and Barbuda Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) 2015-19 The MTDS reflects a sustainable development approach with the long-term goal to improve 12 Table 1: Member States’ National Development Plans Member State Strategy Vision the quality of life of all Antiguans and Barbudans.

Grenada Montserrat Grenada Strategic Development Plan 2030 Maintaining fiscal discipline, Creating Jobs, and Protecting the Vulnerable.
Journey to Sustainable Prosperity: Montserrat Sustainable Development Plan: 2018 to 2020 “A healthy and wholesome Montserrat, founded upon a thriving modern economy with a friendly, vibrant community, in which all our people through enterprise and initiative, can fulfil their hopes in a truly democratic and God- fearing society” Other Regional Development Strategies The World Bank and the six OECS Member States have signed on to a Regional Partnership Strategy (RPS) 2015 to 2019 - a holistic approach adopted by the OECS Governments to tackle the long-standing issues of low growth and debt sustainability.
In-depth consultations were conducted with public sector officials and representatives of the private sector and civil society.

Bilateral and multilateral partners, as well as the OECS Commission and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), were also extensively consulted at different times along the process.
The RPS aims to support better disaster risk management and resilience, as well as investments in human capital, including through more effective social protection systems, better quality of education and employability of the labour force, and greater use of evidence-based policy to address non-communicable diseases.
The RPS places priority on social and poverty statistics that allow timely poverty and inclusion assessments and the assessment of the impacts of policy measures on poverty and shared prosperity.

In coordination with other partners, the World Bank Group will support the production of harmonised household surveys and capacity building in key national and regional institutions.
Finally, the RPS capitalises on the wide-reaching participatory process of the Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF), which informs programming in the areas of skills and productivity, investment climate and logistics.

Six OECS Member States have established CGF Chapters and continue to network and report on progress on action plans.

A recurring complaint is the absence of data to inform these actions.
13 Background to the OECS RSDS The signing of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre (RTB) establishing the OECS Economic Union in 2010 provides the mandate for an RSDS for the OECS region (See Box 3).

The OECS Commission, realising the implication and imperative for comparable data, approached the PARIS21 for technical guidance to develop an RSDS, and at an October 2011 meeting, the NSO Heads acknowledged and approved the NSDS-RSDS process.
A concept note was prepared and used to attract funding to develop the RSDS.

A DFID-funded project, Statistical Capacity Building Project to Support the Designing and Implementation of a Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics, defined the road map for the OECS RSDS.
An assessment of the OECS Regional Statistical System (RSS) (See Annex I for a definition) was subsequently undertaken to establish a factual description of the overall situation of official statistics in OECS Member States – effectively the OECS RSS.
The findings and recommendations contributed to the design of the RSDS, the successful outcome of which include harmonised concepts and methods ensuring comparability of national statistics across the region, coordinated national and regional data collection and other statistical programmes, and generally strengthened national statistical systems with the regional institutions serving as sources of specialised skills and advocacy support.
The Evidence Base for the OECS Development Agenda Evidence constitutes data, official statistics, research and evaluation, among other factual and objective products.

A development agenda depends on a policy process that helps planners make better-informed decisions by putting the best available evidence at the centre of the policy process.
Thus, the fundamental role of official statistics (See Annex I for a definition) in development is undisputed as they are needed to describe social, economic and environmental conditions and to expose the need for interventions.

Official statistics are crucial for planning, governing and developing societies – people, institutions and businesses and thus are indispensable to a progressive democracy.
Official statistics provide the information needed for, at a minimum, evidenced-influenced policy and programmes; for citizens to form objective opinions and hold governments accountable for their policies; for businesses to make sound expansion and development decisions; and for researchers to analyse all aspects of business, environment, society, government and emerging phenomena.
In the context of the OECS Economic Union, the availability of and access to high quality comparable and actionable official statistics are imperative to inform, monitor and evaluate progress to the attainment of full integration; and for realising our growth and development agenda.
The OECS Commission is committed to the design and implementation of statistical development initiatives that can equip each Member State with a consolidated and empowered national statistical system (NSS) (See Annex I for a definition; and Figure 1).
Individually and collectively, these systems would be capable of supporting national and regional development 14 efforts to realise a fully integrated Economic Union, consistent and aligned with national economic, social and environmental development priorities and objectives.

Motivation The crafting of the OECS RSDS is motivated by several factors and achievements that are effected at the regional level.
Some are singled out below:  A common currency, which is the single most important macro-economic indicator for any region that intends to integrate economically;  The recognition of the importance of official statistics to the Economic Union, by the OECS Economic Affairs Council, at their inaugural meeting in June 2014 (See Box 6);  Availability of a set of common policies, strategies and action plans (see Figure 3);  Harmonised approaches for statistical undertakings such as the 2010 Population and Housing Census; and the labour force surveys;  A 5-year sustainable household data programme;  Standardised adoption of information technology and systems: e.g Labour Administration Application; Survey Solutions;  Comparatively successful advances toward Box 3: Revised Treaty of Basseterre Section 4.2: The Member States shall “endeavour to co-ordinate, harmonise and undertake joint actions and pursue joint policies particularly in the fields of – …(s) statistics; (t) institutional arrangements for economic consultation and information dissemination” Article 29-2(b): … the functioning of the OECS Commission under this protocol will be as follows: (b) collection, collation, analysis and distribution of all information pertinent to the working of the Economic Union.
regional integration such as free movement of people: citizens of the Member States receive indefinite stay upon arrival in the destination country;  Several ECCB and OECS networking, technical and governance arrangements, and in particular (See Table 2).

The use of an OECS RSDS is also inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Keith Mitchell of Grenada who, from as far back as 2001, was singled out by the Governor of the ECCB to be the voice for statistics.
Today, Prime Minister Mitchell is championing statistical development visibly and vocally at the CARICOM level.

As a member of the OECS Authority, the RSDS will no doubt receive the attention that it deserves from his eminence, support and influence.
Enabling Pre-Requisites The existence of a single currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, among eight countries of the OECS (See Figure 2), is not only a differentiating feature of the Economic Union (compared to other regions), it is also a pre-requisite for greater harmonisation, macro-economic policy conversion and for common approaches for national development and regional integration.
15 Another significant imminent enabling pre-requisite for the OECS RSDS is the intended “carve out” from the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

At the Sixtieth Meeting of the OECS Authority, OECS Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to the CARICOM integration process while recognising that the OECS Economic Union was proceeding at a faster pace in areas such as freedom of movement of persons, functional cooperation and increasingly in free circulation of goods.
Accordingly, the Authority agreed that seeking amendments to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to incorporate the aspirations of the OECS Economic Union as contained in the Revised Treaty to form an important an indispensable element of the regional integration process.

No doubt, the region’s statistical development pursuits will be in lock-step with these achievements as these pursuits are designed to deliver the requisite empirical element.
The shaping of the OECS Economic Union rightfully warrants speaking as one collective voice.

This voice and several achievements have been noticed by the wider region and internationally such that it is attracting the type of attention that augur well for support for statistical development.

The OECS RSDS exploits these successes and accolades.
In particular, the CARICOM 2015-19 Strategic Plan recognises “the need to take account of the accelerated integration among the OECS Members...” (p. 11) and that “… the OECS offers best practice examples for the wider CARICOM in a number of areas…” (p.105).

Justification The OECS RSS has a commendable ensemble of achievements that augment the justification for an RSDS.

These achievements include relationships, endorsements and adoption of harmonised approaches, frameworks, standardised tools and systems.
The achievements also demonstrate Member States’ perseverance, encouraged and led by the OECS Commission, to pursue development objectives as One Community, Working Together, despite the odds against transitioning out of extreme data deprivation and pursuing an agenda for achieving full integration.
These achievements include, but are not limited to the following: Box 4: Data Deprivation Considering the necessity to monitor the progress of poverty reduction reliably, keeping in mind data quality, and looking at data from 2002-11, … Countries with extreme data deprivation in monitoring poverty are those without any poverty data point in the ten-year reference period.
These countries would require the strongest efforts to reach the benchmark of two data points in any ten-year interval” (p. 8) Data Deprivation: Another Deprivation to End  OECS Education Statistics Digest;  OECS Sustainable Household Data Programme;  OECS Multi-Dimensional Poverty Measurement (MPM) Framework;  OECS Labour Force Survey (LFS);  OECS 2010 Population and Housing Census;  OECS Labour Administration Application (LAA);  OECS Enumerators Group;  OECS Data Processing Group.
16 OECS Education Sector Strategy 2012 to 2021 “All citizens, at every stage of the learning journey, from early years to adulthood.
Are able to reach their full potential and be successful in life, at work and in society” OECS Common Tourism Policy “envisions tourism as an industry that is viable, internationally competitive, resilient and sustainable” OECS Plan of Action for Agriculture 2012 to 2022 "To transform the agricultural sector of he OECS Member States while reducing poverty and promoting food and nutrition security”.
OECS Energy Policy •harmonised regulatory framework to support policy goals for the energy sector OECS Telecommunications Policy •responsive to the needs of the Member States by carefully tracking the progress of the industry by analysing the trends within each market of the industry in the sector.
St. George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability •provides inter alia for the development of strategies and policies to address the effects of climate change on water resources management, land management and marine and resource management OECS Regional Environmental Management Strategy •promotes greater emphasis on sustainable development and sound environmental stewardship Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy •a common initiative of sustainable ocean governance that promotes healthy and richly biodiverse marine environment, sustainably managed in an integrated way OECS Youth Strategy Framework •places greater attention to and calls for action for issues directly affecting OECS youth in order to create a youth-empowered society Figure 3: OECS-ECCB Regional Groups and Mechanisms Member States also benefit from assisting each other using south-south cooperation and other knowledge- and practice-sharing modalities.
They have also agreed to standardise the use information technology and data processing tools and systems for the statistical business process such as Survey Solutions, Computer-aided personal interviewing (CAPI); CS-PRO and TeleForm.

17 The OECS Member States also benefit from statistical development initiatives executed at the CARICOM level.
Among them are:  DevInfo  CARICOM LMIS .STAT  CARICOM Good Practices Guide  CARICOM Data Management Framework  CARICOM Online Trade System  CARICOM Model Statistics Bill  CARICOM Data Warehousing Framework  CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators Framework As members of the wider regional statistical system, the OECS Member States are members of the CARICOM networking groups for statistics, namely, the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS), Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and the Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS).
Evidence of Adopting a Common Approach The key provisions of Revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the OECS Economic Union are the creation of a single financial and economic space within which goods, people, services and capital move freely; monetary and fiscal policies are uniform; methodologies, concepts, and classifications are harmonised; and Member States are required to adopt a common approach to managing trade, health, education and the environment, as well as to develop such critical sectors as agriculture, tourism and energy.
A sample of common policies, strategies and plans are listed in Figure 3.

Additionally, the OECS Commission has implemented some projects that trigger harmonised methodologies for data collection and the use of standardised systems for accessing, visualising and disseminating data.
Among these projects, with the data component extracted, are:  Juvenile Justice Reform Project: build capacity to increase availability of and access to juvenile justice data – classify, collect, store, analyse, disseminate and use;  Tourism Marketing Intelligence Framework: A harmonised framework for collecting and analysing tourism data to inform marketing decisions and plans;  Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) Project: supply of IT, GIS, GPS, surveying and climate data collection hardware (equipment) and software tools to resource an OECS Integrated GIS Platform;  Reduce Risks to Human and Natural Assets Resulting from Climate Change (RRACC) Project: building institutional capacity and addressing information gaps through support for key practitioners charged with developing data; 18 Table 2: Governance Arrangements, Networking and Technical Groups Economic Union Monetary Union Governance Arrangements Monetary Council Board of Directors OECS Authority Economic Affairs Council Council of Ministers OECS Commissioners Networking and Technical Groups OECS Agriculture Advisory Committee Heads of National Statistical Offices OECS Business Council Accountants Generals, Budget Directors and Directors of Audit OECS Coalition of Services Industries Comptrollers of Inland Revenue and Customs OECS Education Statisticians Group ECCU Heads of Policy Units OECS Environment Policy Committee Directors of Social Security Systems OECS Living Standards and Measurement Committee Banking Committee (that’s with Bank Managers) OECS Ocean Governance Group ECCU Financial Secretaries OECS Poverty Reduction Group Regional Debt Coordinating Committee OECS Regional Task Force on Free Circulation of Goods Monetary Council (which is with Prime Ministers/Ministers for Finance) OECS Group for the Free Movement of People OECS Group of Customs Offices Institutions Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage Bank Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Regional Government Securities Market Eastern Caribbean Energy
 Regulatory Authority Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange Ltd Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority Eastern Caribbean Institute of Banking and Financial Services Governance Arrangements Further, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and the OECS Economic Union have established and institutionalised appropriate governance arrangements to advice, coordinate, discuss, oversee, monitor, and formulate policy and other instruments for a stable and sound financial system and to progress towards full integration respectively.
The ECCB interacts 19 regularly with actors in finance ministries and with financial institutions; while the OECS system of governance uses the Economic Affairs Council (EAC) and the Councils of Ministers to consider and report on recommendations from the OECS Commission.

Among these arrangements that are essential to the OECS RSDS are the ones listed in Table 2.
Moreover, Article 29.1 provides that “The OECS Commission shall be the principal administrative organ of the Economic Union and the Economic Affairs Council may, subject to the direction of the OECS Authority entrust it, and may set up other organs, committees and bodies and entrust them, with such functions as the Economic Affairs Council considers necessary to assist it in accomplishing its tasks.
Decisions of the Economic Affairs Council pursuant to this paragraph shall be made by majority vote” “The OECS sub-regional grouping is further along with its integration process than the wider CARICOM grouping and, in that regard, may choose to act as one on matters of exclusive competence by the Economic Union ...” CARICOM 2015 to 2019 Strategic Plan (vol 2, p 62) 20 Where are We Now A comprehensive assessment of the OECS RSS undertaken in 2012 and updated in 2015, documents the story of our current statistical development situation and informs the formulation of the OECS RSDS.
The assessment covers legal and institutional structures and arrangements; production, dissemination, and use of official statistics; advocacy, coordination and cooperation.

The assessment includes a SWOT Analysis and offers recommendations to strengthen the NSSs (See Figure1) and the RSS and to make them responsive to national and regional development agendas.
Strengths Weaknesses  National statistics legislation in place;  Reasonable degree of professional independence;  NSOs and ECCB are well-established organisation;  NSOs and ECCB have a core of qualified staff;  Adopt sound methodologies and international best practices; Opportunities  Growing emphasis on evidence-based policy  will require expanding support from development partners to produce statistics;  OECS Economic Union will necessitate more statistics;  To conduct frequent user needs and satisfaction surveys; Threats  Vulnerable to high staff turn-over rate, particularly trained staff;  Prevailing culture not evidence-based;  Increasing and changing demands for statistics;  Respondent resistance and burden may hamper data collection and quality; Figure 4: SWOT Analysis of the OECS RSS  National statistics legislation is dated;  OECS Commission has weak institutional presence;  NSOs do not publish work plans;  Underdeveloped statistical programming and planning;  No system to determine programme priorities;  Weak capacity outside the NSO;  Absence of statistical expertise;  Shortfalls in observing good statistical practices;  Metadata and documentation not practiced;  No mechanism for coordination and collaboration among data producers;  Absence of institutionalise mechanism for harmonisation and standard setting;  Business register non-existent;  Under-exploited ICT for statistics;  Shortfalls in observing good statistical practices;  Poor quality statistics;  Wide gaps in availability;  Low response rates;  Dissemination is under-resourced;  Poor dissemination practices;  Shortfalls in observing good statistical practices;  Inadequate advocacy and communication;  Absence of national and regional mechanisms for user feedback; 21 Recommendations for the OECS RSS The OECS RSS Assessments offers 20 recommendations for the regional and national level statistical systems.
Some recommendations have been achieved and are indicated in the Table 3.

The OECS RSDS implementation plan includes the detailed initiatives to address these recommendations.
Table 3: Recommendations from the OECS RSS Assessment National Done “A regional approach to statistical development not only ensures effective NSSs that contribute to national and regional decision-making but also fosters stronger cooperation and integration across the region, stimulating economic growth, sustainable development, good governance, and mutual security” www.paris21.org Done      # Regional The OECS Commission in conjunction with its partners should take the next steps in the development of an RSDS.
Produce a resource mobilisation plan for the next phases of the RSDS.

Importance of statistics within the OECS Authority and Commission should be fully recognised and sustained.

A body of NSOs should be established within the OECS Organisation.

An Integrated OECS Statistics Work Programme should be formulated as soon as possible.

The OECS Commission must strengthen its statistical operations without delay.

Effective coordination of statistical work within the OECS Commission must be assured.
A detailed study of the current and potential statistical requirements and implications of the OECS Economic Union.

Statistical offices of the OECS institutions should work towards endorsement of the Principles Governing International Statistical Activities.

10 Design and formulate RSDS.

 Design and formulate NSDSs.

11 Take steps to enhance the existing level of professional independence within their statistical systems.


22 Table 3: Recommendations from the OECS RSS Assessment # Regional Done National Done Take all available steps to conserve and expand their core human resource complements.

Conduct periodic assessment of user needs and satisfaction levels, and take steps to address unmet data needs.

Take all available steps to conserve and expand their core human resource complements.
Conduct periodic assessment of user needs and satisfaction levels, and take steps to address unmet data needs.

Intensify existing statistical advocacy and awareness activities.

Intensify existing statistical advocacy and awareness activities.

Resources should be devoted to dissemination activities and internet presence.

 Resources should be devoted to dissemination activities and internet presence.
“The independence of the NSS from political interference and establishment of a strong governance system should be guaranteed in the statistical legislation with strong provisions on the participation of data users” Express commitment to design and implement a regional strategy for the development of statistics.

 NSOs should commence preparations of NSDS.

Update national statistical legislation.

Lay the groundwork for stronger coordination within the NSS.
Explore fuller utilisation of administrative-based statistics.

The OECS Commission has received the support and assurances from development partners that a regional approach for statistical development would be a mutually beneficial forward-thinking tool.

These assurances satisfy recommendations #1.

Recommendations #6 and #7 are realised with the establishment of the Statistical Services Unit at the Commission (See Annex VI).
The Commission has also taken the lead to develop the RSDS and has and continues to demonstrate its commitment to statistical development as a member of the OECS RSDS Technical Committee.

Regarding recommendations #10 and #17, St. Kitts and Nevis has an NSDS, Saint Lucia has conducted an audit of its NSS and the report comes with recommendations to address the gaps, weaknesses and to take advantage of the opportunities to strengthen institutional, human and organisational capacity.
Grenada also launched the start of their NSDS process in July 2017.

The other Member States have either initiated an NSDS or plan to do so at a time not yet unspecified.

Grenada has also satisfied recommendation #18 having had their statistical act reviewed in 2017.

23 The Communications Services Unit at the Commission has deployed a new website and the SSU has a dedicated page.

This satisfies recommendation #15.


At the Seventh Meeting of the Living Standards Measurement Committee (LSMC), Member States approved the OECS RSS Assessment and the recommendations.

At a validation meeting of national stakeholders convened in April 2016, Member States approved the OECS RSDS methodology, its outline, time horizon and scope.

This satisfies recommendation #16.


Statistical Capacity The 2014 SCI for six Member States, as published on the Bulletin Board for Statistical Capacity, have an average score of 56, three points below the average (59) for the twelve CARICOM Member States and consistent with the average for 28 SIDS.

Saint Lucia and Grenada are at the extreme ends of the spectrum, with Saint Lucia scoring 11 points above the SIDS average and 8 points above the CARICOM average.
Grenada’s SCI score is 44, twelve points below the SIDS average.

Figure 5: World Bank Statistical Capacity Indicators OpenData Practices The 2015 Global Open Data Index for six Member States are depicted in Figure 6.

The index measures the state of open government data around the world, i.e.

the extent to which they can be freely used, modified and shared by anyone for any purpose.

The index contributes to better dialogue between government and civil society.
It allows exploration and examination of the strengths and the weaknesses in publishing data.

It also exposes what needs to be measured and how to tackle them for a better future state of open data.
Figure 6: 2015 OpenData Index for 6 Member States 24 Operating Environment for the OECS RSDS Under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre, the OECS Authority serves as the supreme policy-making organ of the Organisation (the OECS); the OECS Commission as the principal Organ responsible for general administration of the Organisation and as the coordinator of statistics as designated by the Economic Union.
The functions of OECS Commission under the Economic Union Protocol include the collection and distribution of information pertinent to the Economic Union.

The Economic Union transfers legislative competence to the OECS Authority from the national parliaments of the Member States in five agreed areas: common market and customs union; civil aviation; maritime jurisdiction and boundaries; monetary policy and trade policy.
The Member States agree under the Treaty to accord legislative competence to the OECS in relation to: common commercial policy; environmental policy and immigration policy.

Governing Arrangements on Statistical Matters At present, there is no formally established body that provides oversight and regulatory functions to the RSS.

Committees are used to deliberate on and agree on statistical matters.
However, these are not sufficiently binding to preserve data comparability through harmonised methodologies, standardised operations and synchronised dissemination.

The RSDS contemplates the creation of governance arrangements at the national and regional levels.

One such arrangement is a coalition of the OECS NSO leaders to provide overall direction to the statistical development in the OECS region - a recommendation (#4) from the OECS RSS Assessment.
1960 Grenada St Kitts and Nevis 1971 1973 Montserrat Saint Lucia Antigua and Barbuda 1975 1983 St. Vincent and The Grenadines Dominica 1986 2000 Anguilla British Virgin Islands 2005 Figure 7: Statistical Legislation Enactment Year 25 Coordinating Arrangements for Statistical Matters The mandate of the OECS Commission as the regional coordinator of social, demographic and environmental statistics is accorded to the Statistical Services Unit (See Annex VIII).
The ECCB Statistics Department has responsibility for coordinating, producing and disseminating monetary, financial and balance of payments statistics.

The NSOs are legally mandated (See Figure 7) to lead and coordinate their respective NSS (though not formalised) (See Box 1) and to collect, compile and disseminate official statistics.

All Member States have a centralised statistical system.
Data producers and Suppliers and Users The independent Member States follow the Westminster governance model, with each country having executive, judicial and legislative branches, and 5-year elections cycle.

Ministries, departments and agencies that constituent the main data producers and suppliers are created and dissolved as needed.

Other data suppliers include private sector establishments, individuals and households (See Figure 1 for a schema of the NSS).
The data users are national, regional and international, and include politicians, public sector officers, private sector, students, academia, the media and the rest of the public.
“It is vitally important that we have a sense of what will need to be measured, how it will be measured and how much it will cost” p. 8 “Recognising that we are in the midst of a revolution, which has the potential to speed up data production and analytics … innovative approaches to collecting data … should be integrated into official statistical production methods to bring down the overall costs and efficiency of the production process” p. 9 “The SDG agenda calls for a commitment to leave no one behind and to ensure we measure the well-being of the most vulnerable.
Doing so requires that we disaggregate data to a greater extent and include more consistent stratification variables”.

p. 18 Data for development: A Needs Assessment for SDG Monitoring and Statistical Capacity Development.

26 27 The OECS RSDS: The Transformative Agenda The planning horizon for the OECS RSDS is from 2017 to 2030.
It captures the high-level direction we will take over the next 14 years as a collective force of system actors and partners in official statistics working towards a vision that promises much for many in several ways.

The strategy provides clarity about what our region wants to achieve; how we plan to get there; how we will know when we get there; and what we will do to apply and celebrate our achievements.
The vision, strategic priorities and initiatives set out in this forward-thinking master plan signals our intention to increase the use and value of statistical information and knowledge products to the Economic Union at the national and regional levels.

There are exciting opportunities ahead to galvanize the return on our investment in official statistics, many triggered by the data revolution and the prospect of a fully integrated region.
Other opportunities are prompted by changing demographics, cutting edge technology, unpredictable political and wild environmental changes.
Bold Broad Brave As the leader of the OECS RSS, the Commission maintains that it will exploit these opportunities by first (a) articulating our value proposition and then (b) relying on our strengths; (c) learning from the lessons of our past and current statistical initiatives; (d) confronting the weaknesses, constraints and limitations that taunt our progress; and (e) adapting best-fit practices of other countries and regional blocs to achieve the future state described by the strategic priorities.
The vision is a bold, broad and brave transformative agenda with very high expectations for the Economic Union – its people, businesses, institutions, culture and partners.

It is bold because our context is described by unsynchronised political cycles that can cause a re-start or cancellation in any of our initiatives; broad, because we are covering nine national statistical systems, three statistical domains and interventions for institutional, organisational and human capacity development.
Brave, because we are embarking on a journey knowing that we are seriously resourced-constrained from the onset.

The strategic direction mapped in this ambitious master plan therefore requires us to change – to re-imagine, re-engineer and re-think our business of statistical information: their selection and prioritisation, production, dissemination, access, analysis and use.
This transformative agenda for change is pursued through five high level strategic priorities:  Design and formalise the OECS Regional Statistical System (RSS)  Consolidate and fortify the national statistical systems (NSS)   Extract insights and tell the stories  Trumpet and value official statistics Join and respond to the data revolution 28 The OECS RSDS: Strategic Priorities The bold, brave and broad transformative agenda requires us to change many habits, dispel myths and challenge contradicting perspectives of official statistics.
To remain relevant in the rapidly changing environment in which we operate, we need to become more agile, influential and customer-oriented.

To sustain our investment and remain viable we need to focus on what is important and on how we consult, collaborate and coordinate.

As a regional bloc, we must convincingly and consistently state why a regional approach led by the Commission is the best model that mutually benefits the Member States of the OECS Economic Union and the Commission.
Our strategic priorities and desired future state are described in Table 4.

Table 4: Strategic Priorities and Desired Future State Strategic Priorities Desired Future State 1.

Design and Formalise the OECS Regional Statistical System (RSS)  The OECS Commission is recognised as an effective and influential leader of the Eastern Caribbean Statistical System;  The Eastern Caribbean Statistical System regulates production, development, and dissemination of official statistics; 2.
Consolidate and fortify the national statistical systems (NSS)  National statistical legislative framework is fit for the 21st century;  National governance arrangements are institutionalised to oversee work plans and bolster the professional independence of the NSO;  The NSO in each Member State is branded and recognised as the trusted leader of the NSS;  Ministries, departments and agencies are inter-dependent and share statistical infrastructure, resources and capability to respond to their country’s demands for relevant and quality official statistics;  One country one figure, available simultaneously;  Official statistics are a professionalised discipline complete with competencies, standards, code, and principles;  The NSO in each Member State has strong leadership and good management; adequate financial resources; information technology infrastructure and workforce capabilities that enable it to be responsive for the long-term; 29 Table 4: Strategic Priorities and Desired Future State Strategic Priorities Desired Future State 3.
Join and respond to the data revolution  The ECSS has a portfolio of official statistics that is fit-for-purpose, up-to-date, comparable, affordable and of appropriate quality;  Data sources are integrated to broaden and deepen the stories about people, society and institutions;  In designing statistical collections, the NSS considers how multiple data needs can be met in one statistical undertaking;  Open data are explored to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption and harness new technologies to strengthen governance;  Official statistics can tell a comprehensive story of the OECS Economic Union based on integrated systems; 4.
Extract insights and tell the stories  The legislative framework for the NSS provides for appropriate access to data by all users, determined by their needs;  Statistical products are disseminated quickly to the customer;  Ministries, departments and agencies use a data architecture that bode well for data sharing, user access and data visualisation;  Joint work among Ministries, departments and agencies, regional and international agencies use actionable data to produce a wealth of new knowledge, insights, ideas to inform policies, programmes, and citizens’ social, work and study decisions; 5.
Trumpet and value official statistics  Official statistics are increasingly used to inform policy, decision, debate and casual social conversation;  Official statistics are increasingly used to hold government to account;  People and institutions of the OECS Economic Union have trust in official statistics and are aware of their importance;  People and institutions of the OECS Economic Union know what statistical information is available and know how it benefits them; 30 Statistical Development Clusters The OECS RSDS supports the OECS Economic Union’s development and integration agenda by envisioning an RSS (See Annex I for a definition) that is formalised, empowered, consolidated so that it can respond to the demand for relevant, high quality and Treaty-specified data and official statistics.
These dimensions of the RSS must be realised to preserve the all-encompassing utility of data comparability among the Member States while simultaneously observing and fulfilling national, regional and international requirements whether political, obligatory or participatory respectively.

A taxonomy of six statistical development clusters (SDC) is being used as a means of bundling the OECS RSDS strategic initiatives for a clear link to the statistical business process.
These clusters are formed from grouping similar activities from the UN Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics, the Principles Governing International Statistical Activities and the Database of International Statistical Activities 2012.
The clusters’ activities are stated using words such as “design”, “build”, “implement”, “strengthen”, “assess” to construct initiatives to address the institutional and resource requirements for selecting, prioritising, producing, analysing, disseminating and using data and official statistics.
These clusters are illustrated in Figure 8. establish trust in official statistics create a high performing interrelated and coordinated statistical system construct a solid and reliable foundation for the statistical system Governance Administration Infrastructure produce high quality comparable statistics that are fit-for-purpose.
establish a customer- centered and demand- driven statistical system sustain genuine and durable partnerships in statistics Undertakings Advocacy Cooperation Figure 8: Statistical Development Clusters 31 Statistical governance, administration and infrastructure are essentially the building blocks upon which the system will identify, prioritise and produce official statistics.

They collectively account for the quality of the outputs.
Any gaps, limitations or weaknesses within and among these blocks will trigger an inspection of how, when, what, where and who of the statistical value chain or statistical business process as it is now called.

For this reason, formalising the RSS and consolidating the NSSs are indispensable strategic priorities.

If we get this right, we are on to a great start and building a sustainable model for statistical development.
The 2030 Agenda has brought into focus the increasing dependency on official statistics and data for sustainable development.

It amplifies the need to increase the scope, to integrate data sources and to make the outputs accessible, available and actionable.

The OECS RSDS will respond by constructing initiatives for joining and exploiting the data revolution.
This can be achieved by integrating data sources and increasing the type and frequency of statistical undertakings informed by fortified NSSs and making data comparable through a formalised RSS.

Satisfying national needs, regional requirements and global commitments call upon the RSS to involve a wide scope of players (government, civil society, private sector, learning institutions, development partners).
The OECS RSDS is intent on promoting a value proposition to broaden the scope, increase availability, enable access and arouse the use of the official statistics so that they become actionable through exposition of a wealth of knowledge products, ideas, insights and stories.
Statistical advocacy, including communication and dissemination, come into play to raise the profile and status of the statisticians, their statistical work and the results of this coordinated and collaborative effort – the official statistical product – a public good.

Trumpeting and valuing the power and importance of official statistics instil trust and confidence which in turn can fuel increased investment, participation and cooperation in statistical development.
#EmpoweredRSS #ResponsiveRSS #VisibleRSS 32 Guiding Principles The OECS RSDS is underpinned by four broad principles: alignment, subsidiarity, shared- responsibility and mutual accountability and which must simultaneously oil the RSS machinery.

Alignment involves a disciplined approach to managing the communication, coordination, and responsibility of the common boundaries among partners’ agenda, project goals and objectives, contextual system processes and culture.
Alignment is not about 100% agreement on absolutely everything.

Alignment is all actors understanding and agreeing on the big picture that empowers the strategic, operational and tactical decision-making processes.
Subsidiarity Alignment Shared Responsibility Mutual Accountability The principle of subsidiarity seeks to respect the sovereignty of the Member States to take decisions and to take action to achieve national goals, and at the same time allow the institutions of the Economic Union to take action for reasons of scale and comparability which would satisfy the requirements for regional integration.
Shared responsibility is analogous to the idea of ‘duty of care’ which can be partially expressed and implemented through legislation and a value system influenced by mutual, expectations and acceptance of risk.

Shared responsibility is expressed through participatory, inclusive consultative processes; a configuration that delineates roles and labour with respect to the development, production and dissemination of statistics; and apportions investment in statistics.
Shared responsibility results in shared rewards and successes.

According to the OECD, “mutual accountability is a process by which two (or multiple) partners agree to be held responsible for the commitments that they have voluntarily made to each other.

It relies on trust and partnership around shared agendas, rather than on ‘hard’ sanctions for non-compliance, to encourage the behaviour change needed to meet commitments.

It is supported by evidence that is collected and shared among all partners.
Progress in mutual accountability is all the more important because the relationship between donors and partner countries is inherently uneven” 33 Success Factors Continous communication and advocacy Results- based management practices There are essential areas of activity that must be performed well to achieve the OECS RSDS’s vision, priorities and objectives for a regional approach for statistical development.
Sustained flow of resources Consultative, transparent and inclusive engagement Six critical success factors have been identified for the OECS RSDS and they relate to leadership, communication, resources, politics, engagement and measurement.

Politicial commitment at the highest level Strategic leadership Attention to designing and institutionalising arrangements and building systems to sustain milestones will constitute some of the criteria to measure success.
Assumptions and Risks There are circumstances and events, outside the control of the OECS Commission, the NSOs and other system players, but which are needed to occur for the OECS RSDS to be successfully implemented.

At the same time, even the best laid out plans will be exposed to factors that can positively or negatively affect their execution.

Thus, while implementing the OECS RSDS, careful monitoring and adjustments will be done and course-corrective actions will be made.
The assumptions and risks are listed in Table 5.

Table 5: Assumptions and Risks Assumptions 1.

Changes in political leadership maintain support for the OECS RSDS; Risks 1.

Weak commitment from government; 2.

Changes in OECS Commission leadership maintain 2.

Member States may not commit support for the OECS RSDS; to the RSDS; 3.

Changes in NSO leadership maintain support for the OECS RSDS; 4.

Resistance to change is respected and manageable; 5.
Response to changes in priorities is decisive and quick; 6.

Inflow of resources materialises as programmed and as expected; 7.

Member States’ commitments translate into action; 8.

Statistical coordination occurs as envisioned.

3.

Unrealistic and rushed timelines; 4.

Unrealistic investment and costs estimates; 5.

Inconsistent, incorrect, delayed or contaminated information; 6.

Ignoring subsidiarity; 7.
Aiming for full alignment or avoiding alignment; 34 Strategic Objectives and Desired Outcomes To ensure the OECS RSDS is consistent with existing national, extra-regional and international initiatives, as well as the provisions in the Revised Treaty, its high-level initiatives are linked to the 2030 Agenda, Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities for Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the CARICOM Regional Statistics Work Plan (RSWP) and the recent Heads of Government- endorsed Action Plan for the Improvement of Statistics (See Annexes VI and VII).
They are also linked to the OECS Commission’s strategic objectives 3, 4 and 5 (See Box 5), common regional strategies, policies and plans e.g.

OECS Education Strategy 2011 to 2021, the recommendations from the OECS RSS Assessment, the St. Kitts and Nevis NSDS and the Audit of the St. Lucia NSS.
Governance trust and confidence Administration interrelated and coordinated Infrastructure solid and reliable foundation Undertakings quality, comparable statistics Advocacy client-driven, data-smart society l Cooperation durable and genuine partners The OECS RSDS implementation plan will incorporate the statistical development clusters as the fixed horizontal bundle of activities that cuts across and intersects with all statistical domains.
This approach is selected because the clusters are unchanging in statistical development, while the strategic priorities can and would change at least twice during the implementation of the RSDS.

The clusters are one of several tools for assessing the return on the investment in statistical development.

The strategic objectives and desired outcomes are listed in Table 6.
An alpha-code is used for each cluster to easily associate them with actions and activities: G: Governance; O: Administration; I: Infrastructure; U: Undertakings; A: Advocacy; C: Cooperation.
35 Revised Treaty of Basseterre: Section 4.2: The Member States shall “endeavour to coordinate, harmonise and undertake joint actions and pursue joint policies particularly in the fields of – …(s) statistics; (t) institutional arrangements for economic consultation and information dissemination” Box 5: OECS Commission Strategic Objectives 1.

Membership: Deepen and Maximize the Participation of Member States in Accordance with the Revised Treaty of Basseterre.

2.
2.

Consolidate the Architecture of Regional Integration.

3.

Facilitate the Free Movement, Growth and Development of People, Goods, Services, Capital and Ideas.

4.

Assure the Security and Well-Being of Citizens.

5.

Drive Key Economic Priorities: Climate Change, Jobs, Transportation, Energy, Goods, Security and Production.

6.

Build a High Performing Organisation Capable of Delivering Strategic Priorities.
36 Table 6: Strategic Objectives and Desired Outcomes Clusters Strategic Objectives G1: To enhance the governance arrangements for the OECS RSS; G2: To adapt and implement the approved governance framework; G3: To engender results-based management practices for statistical development; O1: To engender shared responsibility in the OECS RSS; O2: To continuously enhance a cadre of talent for statistical work; O3: To attract the resources needed for national statistical programming; O4: To innovate and streamline the statistical business process; I1: To regulate and sustain the development and production of high quality data; I2: To build and strengthen national systems for integrated data sources; I3: To maintain updated sampling frames for persons, households and institutions; U1: To increase the availability and accessibility of household data; U2: To increase the availability and accessibility of social and demographic statistics; U3: To increase the availability and accessibility of economic and business statistics; U4: To increase the availability and accessibility of government financial statistics; U5: To increase the availability and accessibility of green economy statistics; U6: To increase the availability and accessibility of Treaty-dependent data and statistics; U7: To improve the communication and dissemination of official statistics; Desired Outcome Regional National Institutionalised authority to regulate official statistics Sustained trust in official statistics Economies of scale and scope Interrelated and coordinated Harmonised approaches and standardised systems Solid and reliable foundation Comparable and regulated statistics good quality and fit-for-purpose official statistics 37 Table 6: Strategic Objectives and Desired Outcomes Clusters Strategic Objectives A1: To continuously amplify the visibility of the OECS RSS; A2: To enhance the relationship between and among the OECS RSS actors; A3: To enhance the data users' experience with access to and availability of official statistics; C1: To fortify and sustain value from national cooperation; C2: To fortify and sustain value from regional cooperation; C3: To fortify and sustain value from extra- regional cooperation; C4: To fortify and sustain value from international cooperation.
Desired Outcome Regional National VISIBILITY VISIBILITY awareness and literacy awareness and literacy PARTNERSHIP PARTNERSHIP genuine and durable genuine and durable “A regional approach appears to be optimal and should prove most cost- effective.

A strengthened OECS Secretariat [sic] offers an appropriate location to serve the needs of member states.

The new Training Centre would have two prime areas of focus, the first of which would deal with information technology training.
The second area of training should focus on the development of all aspects of survey skills” (pg.

10).

“It must be stressed that the realignment of responsibilities and functions between the components of the statistical system along the lines outlined above is critical to the successful implementation of the overall” strategy (pg.

60) Audit of the St. Lucia NSS, March 2010 38 Strategic Objectives and Expected Results Several strategic objectives have been defined in the OECS RSDS.
These objectives are each associated with statistical development clusters, initiatives (actions, activities) and their respective national and regional expected results.

The diagram below demonstrates how the strategic priorities can be realised through successful implementation of the initiatives.

A more detailed implementation plan will associate the activities with estimated costs and timelines.
Strategic Priority Formalise the OECS RSS Objectives by Cluster G1 A2 Actions G1.1 G1.2 A2.1 Activities G1.1.1 G1.1.2 A2.1.1 An abridged example is provided for the strategic priority – design and formalise the OECS RSS – and how it is pursued through statistical governance (G) and statistical advocacy (A).

Some initiatives that are implemented for one strategic priority will have applicability to other priorities.
Similarly, an initiative can have results that are linked to more than one objective or cluster.

This model illustrates how the system is interconnected and that the OECS RSDS is being implemented in a dynamic and networked context and cannot be executed as a linear and sequential set of initiatives.
For example, an initiative to improve metadata management could benefit formalising the RSS and consolidating the NSSs as it helps to improve data quality (statistical infrastructure) and establish trust in statistics (statistical governance).

This achievement can also contribute to improved data dissemination which falls under statistical advocacy.

The clusters, objectives, actions and expected results at the national and regional levels ensue.
39 G: Statistical Governance Governance of the statistical system is underpinned by principles, professional standards and objectivity to foster accountability and transparency in the production, dissemination and use of official statistics.

The purpose of this cluster is to be used to categorise the interventions, reforms and initiatives that can establish, strengthen and sustain good governance in the statistical system in order to instil trust in official statistics.
Trust matters because it affects the utility of the statistics, and utility determines their value to government and society.

It is not simply the trust in the final statistical product that matters, but also trust in the technical capacity, system and processes that have collectively produced the official statistics.

To achieve this goal, this cluster will support and promote institutional, legislative and oversight interventions, reforms and initiatives for effect at the national and regional levels.
The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.

Actions G1.1 Design and build the governance framework for the OECS RSS.
G1.2 Adapt and implement the approved governance framework G1: To enhance governance of the OECS RSS Expected Results Regional National  An inclusive governance  Confidence in a regulated architecture that creates and provides for an Eastern Caribbean Statistical System (ECSS);  Improved capability to regulate the RSS;  Strengthened oversight and improved performance reporting;  Strengthened oversight and improved reporting;  An empowered RSS;  OECS Commission becomes the trusted leader of the OECS RSS; system;  Shared risk and accountabilities;  Professional independence safeguarded;  Better-coordinated national statistical systems;  Shared-responsibility for statistical work;  UN Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics practiced;  Improved ratings for statistical capacity; G2: To enhance governance of the NSS Actions Expected Results Regional National G2.1 Update and enforce statistical  Shared-responsibility for statistical work;  Modernised legislation and regulations for statistical 40 Actions legislation and other institutional frameworks for applicability to 2017 and beyond.
G2: To enhance governance of the NSS Expected Results Regional  Mutual accountability for statistical work;  Better coordinated implementation context;  National administration, infrastructure and undertakings; Improved independence of the statistical authority - legal supremacy, NSS coordination; statistical competences;  Improved transparency and accountability of the NSS;  Clearer delineation of NSS oversight functions;  Shared-responsibility for statistical work; G3: To engender results-based management practices for the statistical development Actions Expected Results Regional National G3.1 Develop an M&E Framework for the OECS RSDS;  Clear links made with statistical development initiatives;  Clear links made with national development priorities;  Enhanced ability to monitor  Clear links made with and evaluate the performance of the investment in official statistics; regional requirements;  Clear links made with global commitments; G3.2 Mount a regular programme of data collection and reporting.
 More evidenced-based regional reports;  Better able to course-correct implementation;  Enhanced M&E skills;  More evidenced-based national reports are available;  Enhanced M&E skills; “The development of an effective NSS requires that the system of administration with regard to the collection, production, compilation, and dissemination of official statistics be embodied in statistical legislation.
Such legislation should define the roles of different players in the NSS, and ensure that official statistics production and service delivery are effectively coordinated under a well-structured central agency with a degree of autonomy, so as to enhance the credibility and impartiality of official statistics, and to engender public trust in official statistics.
The provisions of the law must also espouse the fundamental principles of official statistics and the application of sound methodologies and standards” St. Kitts and Nevis NSDS, pg 27 41 O: Statistical Administration Directing and managing statistical development involves marshalling the resources of the statistical system to accomplish more successful organisational and systemic change, response, and performance.
The purpose of this cluster is therefore to group the interventions, reforms and initiatives that can help to configure a system that is well- coordinated and which subscribes to shared-responsibility, mutual accountability and shared-risks to create a high performing coordinated NSS in each Member State.

This cluster considers coordination mechanisms; leadership and management of the NSS entities; work programme planning; resources to support statistical business process; and HR development programmes.
To achieve this goal, this cluster will attract interventions, reforms and initiatives to procure, allocate and manage the resources to efficiently and effectively administer and organise the people, processes and practices that constitute the NSS network.

The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.
O1: To engender shared responsibility and foster accountability within the OECS RSS Expected Results Regional National  Aligned programmes and  Prioritised statistics and data projects; requirements;  Technical harmonised  Shared risk for statistical techniques, methodologies and instruments;  Operational harmonised/ standardised tools, procedures and processes;  Shared data repositories for OECS Commission and ECCB;  Shared risk for statistical development;  Mutual accountability for statistical development;  Better led advocacy and facilitation of OECS RSS;  Effective leadership of the RSS;  Enhanced technical capability to support Member States;  Integrated statistics work programme adopted; development;  Mutual accountability for statistical development;   Improved access to specialised expertise; Increased availability of pooled resources to invest in official statistics; Actions O1.1 Construct and operationalise arrangements to collaborate on statistical development and production.
O1.2 Construct and operationalise a configuration to strengthen the statistical function at the OECS Commission.

42 O1: To engender shared responsibility and foster accountability within the OECS RSS Actions O1.

3 Construct and operationalise a configuration to strengthen NSOs, sector ministries and other data producing agencies.

O1.4 Design and roll out a programme to build capacity to manage and lead the NSS.
Expected Results Regional National  Official statistics produced in a holistic, coherent and efficient way;  Better in-country support to  Shared risk for statistical development;  Mutual accountability for statistical development; Member States;  Trusted and genuine relationships;  More effective collaboration  NSO emerges as the trusted with NSS leaders; leader of the NSS;  Better collaboration among NSS actors;  More efficient and effective statistical business process; O2: To continuously enhance a cadre of talent for statistical development work Actions Expected Results Regional National O2.1 Design and roll out a programme for professionalising official statistics.
 Improved curricula at the tertiary level institutions;  Subject matter specialist produced;  Competence profile for statisticians developed;  Professional accreditation of statisticians;  Inventory of skills and expertise enhanced;  Coalition of domain specific experts established;  South-south training; O2.2 Craft and roll out a programme for training, learning and development.
 Official statistics become a career of choice;  Promoted virtues of and opportunities for a statistician’s career;  Availability of statistical skills;  Better understanding of new concepts such as big data; open data; geospatial data;  New disciplines, roles and responsibilities for statistics created; O2.3 Design innovative and smart modalities for training delivery  Standardised content created;  Training delivered more  Demand-driven training delivered; effectively;  Targeted training delivered;  Training received just-in-time; 43 O3: To refine the capacities needed for national statistical programming Actions O3.1 Design and implement a framework for the NSO’s work plans, budgeting and reporting.
O3.2 Design and operationalise a configuration that modernises key entities in the NSS.
Expected Results Regional National  Better coordination and  Maximal resource mobilisation integration of programmes; and utilisation;  Improved capability to produce comparable official statistics and data;  Increased allocation from national budget;  Better work planning and budget execution;   Increased confidence in resource management by development partners; Increased share of national budget for statistics;  Better coordinated  Better work planning and implementation context; budget execution;  Increased share of national budget for statistics;  Expanded capability to share technical resources;  Enhanced capability to share data; O4: To innovate and streamline the statistical business process Actions O4.1 Design and roll out a programme to ICT-enable efficient processes.
Expected Results Regional National  Better adaptation of ICTs for  Better adaptation of ICTs for gathering data at the Commission;  Reduced time for dissemination; official statistics;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced time for production and dissemination;  Improved ratings for statistical capacity; Improved customer service;   Predictable data releases; 44 I: Statistical Infrastructure Statistical infrastructure is made up of the fundamental facilities and installations that support the execution of the statutory and mandatory operations of the statistical system.
This cluster groups the interventions, reforms and initiatives to support the collection, compilation, and storage of official statistics and the classification, methodologies, concepts and definitions that ensure quality consistency and comparability across statistical domains, nationally, regionally and globally.
Elements for this cluster include for instance sampling frames, registers, databases, metadata, classifications standards, information and communication technologies; To achieve this goal, this cluster will attract interventions, reforms and initiatives to harmonise methodological approaches, standardise information technologies to collect, process, exchange and store data; and common modalities to disseminate and visualise official statistics and data.
The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.

I1: To regulate and sustain the development and production of high quality data.
Actions Expected Results Regional National I1.1 Design and roll out a programme to strengthen metadata management (SDMX)  Enhanced capability for improved data comparability;  Metadata simultaneously  UN Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics observed;  Documented concepts and made available; methodologies;  Capability for improved harmonisation across Member States;  Enhanced capability for improved data sharing;  Technology and software standardised and adopted;  Statisticians trained in metadata management;  Metadata management principles adopted;  Improved data sharing;  Data exchange protocols adopted;  Improved efficiency in statistical business process;  Better data integration;  Enhanced capability for  Participation in IMF General improved data comparability; Data Dissemination Standard;  UN Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics observed;   Improved trust in statistics; Improved data quality; I1.2 Design and roll out a programme to support effective data-sharing (DDI CodeBook) I1.3 Design and roll out a programme to develop a DQAF for identified data statistical domains.
45 I1: To regulate and sustain the development and production of high quality data.
Actions Expected Results Regional National  Documented concepts and methodologies;  Enhanced capability for improved data comparability;  Data sources more integrated;  Improved data quality; I1.4 Design and roll out a programme to use international classification standards (ISIC, ISCO, etc) I2: To build and strengthen systems for integrated data sources Actions I2.1 Design and deploy a system for crime and criminal justice system (CCJS) I2.2 Design and deploy a civil registration and vital statistics (CVRS) integrated-system I2.3 Upgrade and deploy a labour administration application (LAA) Expected Results Regional National  Enhanced capability to support free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Enhanced capability to assess strategic objective for assuring the well-being of citizens;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 16;  Enhanced capability to facilitate and monitor free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 5;  Enhanced capability to facilitate and monitor free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 8; 46 I2: To build and strengthen systems for integrated data sources Actions I2.4 Deploy the CARICOM labour market information system (LMIS) .STAT I2.5 Design and deploy an education management information system (EMIS) I2.6 Design and deploy a health management information system (HMIS) I2.7 Design and implement a social programmes central beneficiaries’ registry (CBR).
Expected Results Regional National  Enhanced capability to facilitate and monitor free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 8;  Enhanced capability to facilitate and monitor free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 4;  Enhanced capability to monitor free movement of people;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes;  Enhanced capability to assess strategic objective for assuring the well-being of citizens;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 3;  Enhanced capability to assess  strategic objective for assuring the well-being of citizens; Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes; I2.8 Design and implement a system for climate change  Enhanced capability to monitor green economy;  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 1;  Increased use of administrative data for statistical purposes; 47 I2: To build and strengthen systems for integrated data sources Actions and environmental statistics.
I2.9 Design and roll out a programme to geo-code data.
Expected Results Regional National  Realised cost efficiency for statistical undertakings;  Reduced respondent burden;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDGs 13, 14 and 15;  Enhanced capability to  Geospatial data and official visualise data; statistics integrated;  Enhanced capability to visualise data;  Increased access to and use of government data;  Availability of value-added analysis, insights and datasets;  Greater transparency in public sector activities ensured;  Empowered citizens;  Evidence-based accountable public service delivery; I2.10 Create an open data ecosystem;  More inclusive development;  Enable situational use driven by the context of final users.
 A library of harmonised methodologies created and accessible; I2.11 Craft and operationalise a programme to document standards, concepts and methodologies.
I3: To maintain updated sampling frames for statistical units: persons, households and institutions Actions I3.1 Design and operationalise a statistical business register (SBR) Expected Results Regional National  Capability to assess business  Capability to produce business climate;  Capability to facilitate free movement of services and right of establishment;  Capability to design programme to support business development and promote entrepreneurship; demography data;  Capability to undertake establishment surveys;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 9; I3.2 Create a listing of households.
 Capability to produce demographic data; 48 I3: To maintain updated sampling frames for statistical units: persons, households and institutions Actions Regional I3.3 Design and implement a population register.
Expected Results National  Capability to undertake household surveys;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDG 6;  Capability to produce demographic data;  Capability to undertake household surveys;  Enhanced capability to produce data to monitor SDGs 1, 4, 6 and 8; Data and statistics 112.
We reaffirm the role that data and statistics play in development planning in small island developing States and the need for the United Nations system to collect statistics from those States, irrespective of size and in the least burdensome way, by, inter alia, allowing electronic submission and, where appropriate, submissions through competent regional agencies.

113.
113.

We recognize that improved data collection and statistical analysis are required to enable Small Island Developing States to effectively plan, follow up on, evaluate the implementation of and track successes in attaining the internationally agreed development goals.

114.
In this regard, we reaffirm our commitment to support the efforts of Small Island Developing States: (a) To strengthen the availability and accessibility of their data and statistical systems, in accordance with national priorities and circumstances, and enhance their management of complex data systems, including geospatial data platforms, by launching new partnership initiatives or scaling up existing initiatives; SAMOA Pathway 49 U: Statistical Undertakings Statistical undertakings are the essential activities for primary and secondary data collection that must be executed to produce the requisite evidence demanded by the statistical system.
This cluster will group interventions, reforms and initiatives to collect data that can produce fit-for-purpose high quality official statistics that are nationally relevant and regionally comparable.

Elements for this cluster include surveys, censuses, administrative sources, as well as data analysis.

It also includes subject matter skills training.


To achieve this goal, this cluster will attract interventions, reforms and initiatives to collect data using the most efficient and integrated means and which are mindful of respondent burden.

The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.
U1: To increase the availability and accessibility of household data Actions Expected Results U1.1 Strengthen and update a programme to identify, produce and disseminate household budget and living conditions statistics.

U1.2 Strengthen, update and execute a programme to identify, produce and disseminate multi- dimensional poverty statistics.
U1.3 Design and execute a programme to conduct country poverty assessments Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Harmonised approach is established;  Comparable data are available; national indicators;  Better designed programmes;  Improved prices statistics;  Increase availability of poverty data;   Increased and improved knowledge products; Improved quality of advice to Member States;  Increased and improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 1 available;  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Harmonised approach is established;  Comparable data are available;   Increased and improved knowledge products; Improved quality of advice to Member States;  OECS Commission has enhanced CPA skills:  Technical assistance available for Member States;  Improved quality of advice to Member States; national indicators;  Reduced respondent burden;  Better designed programmes;  Increase availability of poverty data;  Increased and improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 1 available;  Better designed programmes;  Increase availability of poverty data;  Increased and improved knowledge products; 50 U1: To increase the availability and accessibility of household data Actions Expected Results Regional National  Data to monitor SDG 1 available; U2: To increase the availability and accessibility of social and demographic statistics Actions U2.1 Strengthen production and dissemination of education statistics.
U2.2 Strengthen production and dissemination of health statistics.

U2.3 Strengthen production and dissemination of population and housing statistics.
Expected Results Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional education strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Improved quality of advice to Member States;  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional health strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Improved quality of technical advice to Member States;  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Harmonised approach is established;  Available and accessible   comparable data; Improved knowledge products; Improved quality of technical advice to Member States;  Availability of an agreed set of national indicators;  Increased availability of and access to education statistics;  Better-designed education policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 4 available;  Availability of an agreed set of national indicators;  Increased availability of and access to health statistics;  Better-designed health policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 3 available;  Availability of an agreed set of national indicators;  Increased availability of and access to demographic and housing statistics;  Better-designed demographic and housing policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 available; 51 U2: To increase the availability and accessibility of social and demographic statistics U2.4 Strengthen production and dissemination of crime and justice statistics (CJS).
 Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Availability of an agreed set of national indicators;  Standard configuration for an CJS System;  Better-designed regional crime and justice strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects;  Available and accessible comparable data;  Better integrated crime systems;  Improved knowledge products;  Increased availability and access to crime and justice statistics;  Better-designed crime and justice policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 16 available; U2.5 Standardise and integrate registers for and disseminate civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS).
 Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Availability of an agreed set of national indicators;  Common configuration for an  Better integrated registration CRVS System; systems;  Available and accessible  comparable data;  Better integrated registration Increased availability and access to civil and vital statistics; systems;  Improved knowledge products;  Better estimation of inter- census population;  Better-designed policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 5 available; U3: To increase the availability and accessibility of economic and business statistics Actions Regional National Expected Results U3.1 Strengthen and update production and dissemination of national accounts statistics.
 Better-designed regional growth and development strategies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Increased availability and access to SNA statistics;  Better-designed growth and development policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available; 52 U3.3 Strengthen and update production and dissemination of prices statistics.

U3.4 Strengthen production and dissemination of tourism statistics.

U3.5 Strengthen production and dissemination of agriculture statistics.
U3: To increase the availability and accessibility of economic and business statistics Actions Regional National Expected Results U3.2 Strengthen and update production and dissemination of balance of payments (BOP) statistics.
 Better-informed exchange rate policies;  Available and accessible comparable data;  Improved knowledge products;  Increased availability and access to BOP statistics;  Better-designed BOP policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Increased availability and access to consumer prices and inflation statistics;  Better-designed pricing and interest rate policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Better-designed pricing and interest rate policies;  Available and accessible comparable data;  Improved knowledge products;  Harmonised Consumer Price Index (HCPI) available as a key macroeconomic convergence criterion;  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional tourism strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to tourism statistics;  Better-designed tourism policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional agriculture strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to agriculture statistics;  Better-designed agriculture policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 2 available; 53 U3: To increase the availability and accessibility of economic and business statistics Actions U3.6 Strengthen production and dissemination of monetary and financial statistics.
U3.7 Strengthen production and dissemination of merchandise trade statistics.

U3.8 Strengthen production and dissemination of trade in services statistics.
Expected Results Regional National  Increased availability and access to monetary and financial statistics;  Increased availability and access to monetary statistics;  Better-designed monetary  Better-designed monetary policies; policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Better-designed regional trade strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Increased availability and access to merchandise trade statistics;   Improved negotiations;  Better-designed trade Improved knowledge products; policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Better-designed regional  trade-in-services strategies, policies, programmes and projects; Increased availability and access to trade-in-services statistics;  Better-designed trade Improved negotiations; policies;   Improved knowledge products; U3.9 Strengthen production and dissemination of business statistics.
 Better-designed business development programmes, products and services;  Improved knowledge products;  Ability to monitor RTB regime  for free movement of business;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Increased availability and access to business demography statistics;  Better-designed business development policies; Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDGs 8 and 9 available; U3.10 Strengthen production and dissemination of  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional employment strategies, national indicators; 54 U3: To increase the availability and accessibility of economic and business statistics Actions labour market statistics.
U3.11 Develop, produce and disseminate labour demand data.
Expected Results Regional policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Ability to monitor RTB regime for free movement of people and skills;  Improved technical advice to Member States;  National Increased availability and access to business demography statistics;  Better-designed employment unemployment programmes and policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available;  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional training and skills development strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Ability to monitor RTB regime for free movement of people and skills; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to labour demand statistics;  Better-designed business development policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 8 available; U4: To increase the availability and accessibility of government financial statistics Actions U4.1 Strengthen production and dissemination of budget data.
Expected Results Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Improved knowledge products;  Better technical advice to Member States; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to COFOG-classified GFS statistics;  Better-designed fiscal   policies; Improved knowledge products; IMF Government Finance Statistics Yearbook updated for Member States; 55 U4: To increase the availability and accessibility of government financial statistics Actions U4.2 Strengthen production and dissemination of public debt data.
Expected Results Regional National  Improved knowledge products;  Increased availability and access to debt statistics;  Better technical advice to  Better-designed fiscal Member States; policies;  Improved knowledge products; U5: To increase the availability and accessibility of environmental statistics Actions U5.1 Develop, produce and disseminate climate change Expected Results Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional climate change strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Better technical advice to Member States; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to climate change statistics;  Better-designed climate change policies;  Better-designed disaster management strategies and policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 13 available; U5.2 Develop, produce and disseminate energy statistics.
 Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional energy strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Better technical advice to Member States; national indicators;  Increased availability and access to energy statistics;  Better-designed energy policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 7 available; U5.3 Develop, produce and disseminate ocean economy statistics.
 Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional ocean (blue) economy national indicators; 56 U5: To increase the availability and accessibility of environmental statistics Actions U5.4 Develop, produce and disseminate environment statistics Expected Results Regional strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Better technical advice to Member States;  National Increased availability and access to ocean (blue) economy statistics;  Better-designed ocean (blue) economy policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 14 available;  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better-designed regional environment strategies, policies, programmes and projects;  Improved knowledge products;  Better technical advice to Member States; national indicators;  Increased availability of and access to environment statistics;  Better-designed environment policies;  Improved knowledge products;  Data to monitor SDG 15 available; U6: To increase the availability and accessibility of Treaty-specified data and official statistics Actions U6.1 Gather and disseminate data on free movement of people.
Expected Results Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators;  Better policies for free movement of people;  Better assessment of the administration of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre; national indicators;  Ability to make decisions about moving to other countries; U6.2 Gather and disseminate data on free circulation of goods.
 Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators; regional indicators;  Better policies for regional  Ability to make decisions on trade; inter-regional trade;  Better assessment of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre; 57 U6: To increase the availability and accessibility of Treaty-specified data and official statistics Actions U6.3 Gather and disseminate data on free movement of services.
Expected Results Regional National  Availability of an agreed set of  Availability of an agreed set of regional indicators; national indicators;  Better policies for regional  Ability to make decisions on trade in services; inter-regional trade;  Better assessment of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre; U7: To improve the dissemination of official statistics Expected Results Regional National  Data access and gathering  Data release calendars made easy; adopted; Actions U7.1 Develop and adopt common dissemination protocols.
 Dissemination policy adopted;  Revision policy adopted;  Compliance with UNFPOS;  Protocol for access to anonymised data adopted;  Protocol for access to micro data adopted;  Improved punctuality of statistics;  Better accessibility of statistics and data;  Improved quality of statistical publications;  Digitalised statistical products  OECS Glossary of Statistical Concepts and Definitions developed;  Standard templates for produced; statistical products available;  Regional research agenda  National research agenda developed;  Regional think tank established; developed; U7.2 Develop and operationalise a framework for standardised templates for statistical reports and other products.
U7.3 Develop and roll out a programme to enhance data analysis and reporting skills U7.4 Develop protocols to disseminate micro and anonymised data;  Increased ability to do deeper and broader analysis and research;   Increased and improved knowledge products; Increased availability of data for analysis and joint research; 58 A: Statistical Advocacy Advocacy for statistics involves promoting, communicating and disseminating statistics to cultivate and nurture a participatory society in the collection and responsible use of official statistics.
This cluster will group interventions, reforms and initiatives to cultivate and establish a data-smart society and which rallies to extol the benefits of official statistics.

Elements for this cluster include stakeholder consultations; social media outreach, media events (interviews, press conferences) and other advocacy material (flyers, videos, posters) and events (e.g Caribbean Statistics Day); and dissemination tools such as websites and apps.
To achieve this goal, this cluster will attract interventions, reforms and initiatives to celebrate, trumpet importance of official statistics and dispel myths and fears that impede their availability.

The activities should also attract investment to produce the official statistics.

The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.
A1: To continuously amplify the visibility of the OECS RSS Actions Expected Results A1.1 Design and roll out region-wide advocacy and communication programme.
  Regional Improved statistical literacy;  National Improved statistical literacy; Improved stakeholder awareness;  Elevated profile and status of statistics;  Successful value proposition;  Improved stakeholder awareness;  Virtuous cycle of performance achieved;  Elevated profile and status of statistics; A1.2 Design and roll out a programme to strengthen engagement with the system’s participants.

A1.3 Design and roll out a programme for participation in statistical development forums.
 Enhanced trust in statistics;  Meaningful engagement of various actors realised;  Enhanced trust in statistics;  Meaningful engagement of various actors realised;  Greater recognition of the contribution of RSS’s statisticians;  RSS statisticians have greater knowledge of emerging statistical tools, practices and trends;  Greater recognition of the contribution of NSS’s statisticians;  NSS statisticians have greater knowledge of emerging statistical tools, practices and trends; 59 A2: To enhance the relationship between and among the OECS RSS actors Actions A2.1 Design and implement a programme of regular customer feedback surveys.
Expected Results Regional National  Better understanding of users’ data and statistical needs;  Better understanding of the quality of statistical products and services;  Statistical products are demand-driven;  Better understanding of users’ data and statistical needs;  Better understanding of the quality of statistical products and services;  Statistical products are demand-driven; A2.2 Design and implement a campaign for responsible use and reporting of data and official statistics;  Staff better able to report on official statistics;  Demand-driven initiatives identified; A2.3 Identify and establish a series of subject matter expert groups.
 Specialised thematic and subject matter expert regional groups created;  Better designed statistical development initiatives;  The media is better able to report on official statistics;  Politicians are better equipped to interpret official statistics;  NSOs are better able to report on statistics.

 Specialised thematic and subject matter expert groups created;  Improved discourse and debate on government policies;  Better designed statistical programmes and activities.
A3: To enhance the data users' experience with access to and availability of official statistics Actions A3.1 Design and build websites with data portals; Expected Results Regional National  Ability to gather published  Statistics webpage data from the NSSs;  OECS Statistics webpage deployed;  Dynamic data access and visualisation tools available; deployed;  Free access given to data in a reusable formats;  Improved data dissemination and access;  Web analytics collected and analysed; 60 C: Statistical Cooperation Statistical cooperation promotes genuine, durable and balanced strengthening of relationships within the NSS and between and among the NSS and the regional and international development community.
This cluster will group interventions, reforms and initiatives to create a collaborative and coordinated environment for efficient and effective use of resources and partnerships for statistical development.

To achieve this goal, this cluster will attract interventions, reforms and initiatives to broker and sustain relations and partnerships that portend for effective coordination and mutual responsibility for official statistics.

The objectives, actions and expected results of this cluster ensue.
C1: To fortify and sustain value from consultations and partnerships Actions C1.1 Construct and institutionalise arrangements for user- producer consultation.

Expected Results Regional National  Better representation at  MOUs and formal regional forums;  Targeted investment in statistical development;  Aligned statistical programmes; C1.2 Develop and provide opportunities to forge public-private partnerships among statistics stakeholders.
 Outsourced data analysis;  Regional PPP for statistics created;  Formal commitments for the development, production and dissemination of statistics;  Shared responsibility for statistical work; commitments established;  Agreements for information exchange;  Improved cooperation with ministries;  Better prioritisation and selection of data needs;  Higher customer satisfaction;  Client-centred service;  Formal commitments for sharing, producing and dissemination of statistics;  Shared responsibility for statistical work;  Active participation of academic society; 61 C2: To fortify and sustain value from extra-regional cooperation Actions Expected Results Regional National C2.1 Design and implement a programme for technical assistance.
 Centres of excellence established;  Access to expertise;  South-south cooperation  Regional training institution adopted and implemented; C2.2 Design and implement a programme for joint research.

on official statistics established;  Pool of statistical talent enhanced.
 Increased and enhanced knowledge products;  Better evidenced-based regional strategies, policies and plans;  Data analysis outsourced;  Better evidenced-based policies;  Increased and enhanced knowledge products; C3: To maintain sustainable mechanisms for development partner engagement Actions C3.1 Design and execute a plan to attract and sustain development partners’ cooperation.
Expected Results Regional National  Reform fatigue avoided;  Limitations of absorptive capacity recognised;  Continued support for and investment in statistics;  Aid effectiveness realised;  Principles of the Paris Declaration for Aid Effectiveness observed and practiced;  Resource mobilisation managed; Box 6: The EAC endorses an Integrated Approach to Statistical Development At the inaugural meeting in June 2014, the Economic Affairs Council endorsed an integrated approach of the OECS Commission’s Statistical Work Programme, and agreed to explore all options to strengthen the laws which mandate service providers and/or stakeholders to provide data to regulatory agencies and the Commission.
62 Cross-Cutting Themes The OECS RSDS will include initiatives to produce data and official statistics on gender equality, women, youth and persons with disabilities including children, as cross-cutting themes in recognition of their importance in development.

Mainstreaming a cross-cutting theme will be incorporated in our RSDS to make that theme an integral dimension of Member States’ and the Economic Union’s design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development policies and programmes.
It also implies that relevant analyses and studies are conducted as the basis for integrating the cross-cutting theme into the design of policies and programmes.

Gender Equality and Women Women have a critical role to play in all of the SDGs, with many targets specifically recognising women’s equality and empowerment as the objective and as part of the solution.
A broad diversity of topics and issues will be covered under gender statistics, reflecting the changing roles of women and men in society, in the economy and in families and households.

Gender statistics help policymakers to formulate and monitor policies and plans, monitor changes, and inform the public.
The SDG 5 Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls is referred to as the stand- alone gender goal and uses sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics covering demography, education, health, access to economic opportunities, public life and decision-making to measure and monitor the realities of the lives of women and men, and of girls and boys.
The OECS RSDS will align its initiatives with the work being done by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and use the results of the Country Gender Assessments; the CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators (GEI) framework; and the UNWOMEN agenda to craft appropriate interventions to produce and disseminate sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics.

Youth The youth of the OECS Economic Union are projected as the agents of change.
The OECS Commission has drafted a 7-Pillar Youth Strategy (See Box 7) to empower the youth to bring about this desired change.

The OECS RSDS will align with many of the SDG targets and indicators that have a strong youth- specific focus for the appropriate youth action.

The youth’s energy, innovation, and 63 optimism can propel them to take advantage of opportunities that can collectively bode well for social, economic and environmental development of each Member State.
The OECS RSDS will include initiatives to produce data that can be used to measure and monitor the contribution of youth, and to inform the design of policies and programmes for youth development.
Persons with Disabilities Box 7: OECS Youth Strategy Pillars YES I Belong: Citizenship and Identity YES I Earn: Employment and Entrepreneurship YES I Express: Creativity and Culture YES I Inherit: Environment and Sustainable Development YES I Learn: Education and Training YES I Matter: Child and Youth Protection YES I Move: Healthy Lifestyles The SDGs explicitly refer to persons with disabilities: “by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations”.
Regarding the cross-cutting themes, the SAMOA Pathway affirms the following:  use of information and communications technologies for, inter alia, education, the creation of employment, in particular youth employment, and economic sustainability purposes in SIDS;  measures to enhance employment opportunities, in particular of women, youth and persons with disabilities, including through partnerships and capacity development, while conserving their natural, built and cultural heritage, especially ecosystems and biodiversity;  the importance of engaging a broad range of stakeholders … including youth and persons with disabilities, and also reaffirm that gender equality and the effective participation of women and indigenous peoples are important for effective action on all aspects of climate change.
The OECS RSDS will be aligned with the SAMOA Pathway “to improve the collection, analysis, dissemination and use of gender statistics and data disaggregated by sex, age, disability and other relevant variables in a systemic and coordinated manner at the national level, through appropriate financial and technical support and capacity-building, while recognising the need for international cooperation in this regard”.
The OECS Member States will depend on the RSDS to design appropriate interventions to ensure that disability data are available, accessible and actionable as they are essential to provide services, monitor the implementation, and equalise opportunities.

64 OECS Data Ecosystem The OECS Commission will also have a geospatial and satellite information programme to be used to harness spatial and earth observatory data for the Economic Union.
It will promote a data revolution poised to transform how governments, citizens and businesses plan, make decisions and take action.

The programme will cover data about the environment, agriculture, climate and which can be linked to data on poverty, crime, health, employment to understand the pace of social development and economic growth.

OECS RSDS Strategic Priorities OECS Geospatial Ecosystem Framework 1.

Design and formalise the OECS RSS 2.

Consolidate and fortify the NSSs 3.


Join and respond to the data revolution Oversees the function of open and geospatial data across the region.

Demands coordination and integrated systems across the ecosystem.

Stimulates data development, access and sharing through common standards, processes and guidelines.

4.

Extract insights and tell the stories Visualise and interrogate large amounts of data 5.
Trumpet and value official statistics Encourages awareness and use of geospatial data by promoting their benefits to decision-making.

The results of a comprehensive needs assessment of GIS stakeholders: users, governance or institutional level stakeholders, provide the requisite information to conceptualise and design a data ecosystem.
This framework complements the OECS RSDS and has four broad elements are: A governance system that recognises the value  of geographic and geospatial and vigorously champions the goal to unlock its potential for the region; A legal and regulatory framework that is flexible  to allow data to be opened up while protecting privacy and ensuring security; An updated set of policies and process to for  controlling and sharing-data A defined set of technology and data standards  so that the data can be commonly used across multiple systems; 65 The RSDS will include initiatives to exploit ways to integrate the power of GIS for detailed and informative visualisations of data and official statistics.
Visualising large amounts of information interactively is one of the most attractive and useful capabilities of GIS.

The displays can be zoomed and panned, offering data users new perspectives, more (or less) detail, and new insights.

Geospatial visualisation and GIS data mapping are effective ways to make unstructured voluminous data – the essence of big data truly interactive and actionable.
“Member States have started incorporating technology enabled decision-support systems into the fabric of national development plans and the next step will involve the strategic harmonisation of data-ecosystems across all sectors and countries in our sub region.

This will improve the region's capacity to make informed decisions at both the national and regional level.
It will also contribute significantly to the OECS' ability to be more proactive and effective in shaping and managing the region's development agenda.” Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General, OECS Commission 66 Implementation Plan and Arrangements Each statistical development cluster is associated with initiatives described by an objective and a comprehensive list of actions and activities.

The actions will be prioritised using three levels: 1, 2, and 3, with 1 being top priority.
The priority level will be used to assign the actions to one of the three phases for the 14-year OECS RSDS horizon.

Priority Phases Time frame P1 P2 P3 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 2017 to 2022 2023 to 2026 2027 to 2030 Figure 9: Priority Levels, Phases and Time Frames The activities will be associated with outputs, outcomes, responsibility centre, estimated costs, strategic priority and a duration (See Annex II for illustration).
The implementation plan will also identify and associate the international and/or regional agency (IRDA) that has the mandate, technical expertise and resources for the subject matter of the initiative.

The OECS RSDS’s initiatives will, as far as possible, capture national priorities, regional obligations and global commitments.

It will be implemented through existing, new and recalibrated structures within the RSS and NSS.
It will involve coordination among a number of agencies, committees, working groups, including those created for development partners.

The financing for national implementation plan should be reflected in a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) demonstrating government’s contribution to statistical development to be in line with the financial envelope set out in the budget process.
The existing structures include the Living Standards Measurement Committee (LSMC), national governance and coordinating committees, such as Anguilla National Statistical Advisory Committee (ANSAC), existing national and regional expert and subject matter groups; the OECS M&E and Integrated Statistics Working Group; the Development Partners Task Force for Statistics (DPTFS), and the OECS RSDS Steering Committee (See Figure 13).
67 Government investment in official statistics should flip compared to donor funding.

National governance arrangement is a requirement Training at regional institutions is essential.

Harmonisation, coordination and advocacy are indispensable.

NSSs share their reform suggestions at a stakeholders’ consultation in April 2016.
68 National Statistics Work Plans The implementation timeline for the OECS RSDS is a 14-year period broken up into phases (P) and multi-year work programme (MWP) periods for the RSS, from which the NSS can extract national statistics work plans (NSWP), annually (consistent with their respective fiscal year and budget cycle) or a multi-year plan (where applicable, to comply with national planning requirements).
At the regional level, each multi- year work programme will be approved and regularly reviewed by the OECS RSDS Steering Committee.

At the national level, the coordinating, advisory or consultative body in the Member State will be tasked with extracting the annual or multi- year work plan, and with overseeing its implementation.

Figure 10 illustrates how the OECS RSDS log frame maps onto the national statistics work plans.
The regional level aspirations are translated one “step down” for the national context.
OECS RSDS National Statistics Work Plans Vision Strategic Priorities Development Objectives Expected results Component Actions Activties Goals Objectives Activities Outputs Figure 10 Translating the OECS RSDS Log Frame to National Statistics Work Plans “Our harmonised and coordinated response to matters of aviation, telecommunications, the judiciary and common currency has borne dividends including efficiency and effectiveness in the handling of these matters than would be derived by our individual country efforts.
Working together we have created one of the world’s most stable currency.” St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, incoming Chair of the OECS 69 PARIS21 does not prescribed the direction for developing or using an RSDS.

They state “the RSDS will respond to the statistical needs of the regional agenda without infringing on any country’s national sovereignty: its action plan will derive from a consensus between regional authorities and all countries involved”.
Figure 11: From NSDS to RSDS Figure 11 demonstrates a direction that crafts the RSDS from the NSDSs.

This approach, though it respects the principle of subsidiarity, may compromise the pursuit of harmonisation, joint action, and data comparability as each Member State may pursue its strategic objectives individually and at different times.
Moreover, development partners are desiring a statistical development investment model that affords them economies of scale and countries are craving better coordination.

Additionally, resource mobilisation at the national level may encounter some resistance from development partners who prefer the regional approach.
Though there may be initiatives that can be designed and implemented at a national level, for the most part, the OECS RSDS offers a model that could satisfy most of the requirements most of the times for maximum benefits.

Figure 12 demonstrates the preferred direction for designing and implementing a regional approach to statistical development: From Us, For Us, About Us!
70 NWP NWP NWP NWP Figure 12: From OECS RSDS to National Work Plans The Caribbean will need to significantly strengthen data generation and statistical capacity at national and regional levels, especially in light of the SDGs wider remit.
Despite some improvement, the absence of basic data, timely and disaggregated, on social, economic and environmental issues, and sectors, is evident to Caribbean researchers and must be also to policy and decision-makers.” UN ECLAC Report - “The Caribbean and the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda 71 Resource Mobilisation Progress toward our vision and the speed at which we realise it will depend on investment decisions and the resources in Kind that are available.
Grants Government Resources Goods Technical Assistance A resource mobilisation plan will be used to manage these investment decisions and to use the resources efficiently and effectively.

It will be a well-coordinated and apportioned mix of government and donor investment in official statistics.

During the implementation of the 14-year OECS RSDS, we will mobilise resources made up of a variety of investment options not limited to money.
It will include cash, in-kind, goodwill, material, relationship-brokering, technical intellect and knowledge-sharing resources.

The OECS RSDS Steering Committee will be charged with identifying and managing these resources based on an indicative costing of the implementation plan.

The availability and flow of resources will influence action and activity prioritising, scope and duration.
An indicative resource mobilisation plan (See Box 8) will be prepared for the OECS RSDS, with costing (using current and planned projects) estimated for phase one 2017 to 2022.

The intention is to attract a basket fund that the OECS Commission will manage.

From 2030 onwards, it is expected that the NSSs will stand on a very strong footing and sustained investment will be the first responsibility of the government.
Beyond this, it is anticipated that additional support from partners in statistics and the current investment level will be required, but on a gradually reducing basis.

The SDG 2030 Agenda (paragraph 112) calls for increased investment in statistical systems.

A set of financing instruments are available to provide funding for development and implementation of strategies to improve statistical capacity.
A mix of grants and loans are described below:  Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB): a World Bank-managed trust fund set up to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of national statistical systems in developing countries;  Statistics for Results Facility Catalytic Fund (SRF-CF): a multi-donor initiative, managed by the World Bank, to support statistical development in developing countries.
Along with 72 its Catalytic Fund (SRF-CF), this initiative promotes statistical capacity building and supports better policy formulation and decision-making through improvements in the production, availability and use of official statistics;  Statistical Capacity Building Program (STATCAP) provides flexibility in financing, including meeting recurrent costs, providing new means for financing investments and making best use of all sources of technical support and advice.
It may focus on the development of statistics in specific sectors, or may finance the implementation of a comprehensive statistical development plan.
It will support the long-term development of the national statistical system and may involve a series of separate credits or loans as appropriate;  European Development Fund is a development cooperation instrument financed by the European Union budget and focuses on countries and territories that have special historical ties with some Member States;  PARIS21: Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) promotes better use and production of official statistics throughout the developing world, advocates for the integration of reliable data in decision-making, and coordinates donor support to statistics.
Private sector-financed foundations are also emerging triggered by factors and the impact of associated with climate change.
73 Anguilla Statistics Department Dominica Central Statistical Office Antigua and Barbuda Statistics Division Grenada Central Statistical Office BVI Development Planning Unit Monserrat Statistics Department St Kitts and Nevis Statistics Department Saint Lucia Government Statistics Department St Vincent and The Grenadines Statistics Office Consolidated | Integrated | Synchronised 74 There are two long-term statistical development projects for which the OECS Member States are beneficiaries:  Project for the Regional Advancement of Statistics in the Caribbean (PRASC): This is a CAD$20m seven-year (2015 to 2022) investment in official statistics that covers business surveys, household surveys, advocacy and communication;  The Enhanced Country Poverty Assessment Project: A US$2.1m five-year (2016 to 2021) project to support the OECS sustainable programme for household data: country poverty assessments, household budget surveys, multi-dimensional poverty surveys; labour force surveys and survey of living standards; For the data revolution to work, the right incentives must be in place for all stakeholders.
This report proposes that governments in developing countries, external funders, citizen groups, media and technical agencies sign data compacts that establish a performance agreement based on the individual country’s own NSDS.

In return, these would be underpinned by financial agreements.
A portion of the agreed support – whether from the country’s own budget or from an external funder – would be contingent on progress towards “good data” or data that are accurate, timely, available and usable, and meets established standards.

 A two-year TSFCB grant to support Road Map for a Country-Led Revolution, pg.

26 computer-aided personal interviewing, data documentation and other activities that directly addresses several initiatives under the RSDS.
Box 8: FAO’s Guide to Resource Mobilisations FAO offers ten reasons why a resource mobilisation plan is important.

These are: 1.

Focuses RM efforts on the high level results of the programme; 2.

Coordinates the approach to resource partners; 3.

Avoids confusing messages to the resource partners; 4.

Works to prevent in-house competition for resources; 5.

Avoids piece-meal efforts; 6.

Creates joint ownership and accountability; 7.

Leads to planned, pipeline and upfront resources; 8.
Allocates resources where they are most needed; 9.

Ultimately leads to comprehensive programme delivery and broad impact; Roles and Responsibilities 75 Key Governance Groups Economic Affairs Council Provide overall policy guidance for statistical development in the OECS Economic Union.

OECS RSDS Steering Committee Provide the necessary policy and strategic guidance to implement, monitor and evaluate the RSDS.

Prepare annual programmes and relevant progress reports for submission to the EAC.
Technical groups Provide technical and professional guidance and insights to the inform statistical interventions.

NSO Coordinate and ensure effective implementation of the RSDS; Provide leadership and technical advice on harmonisation and standardisation issues; Member States The NSO in each Member State is expected to be an active participant in implementing the OECS RSDS.
This is likely to involve the following responsibilities: Leading the development of national statistical work plans/programmes in line with national development planning.

Proactively identifying and communicating their priorities for NSS development.

Participating in country level monitoring and evaluation of statistical initiatives.

This is expected to include reporting on outcomes, sharing learning and proposing areas and issues for regional consideration.
Communicating to relevant national government ministry, department and agency leaders and the private sector and non-government organisations about regional statistical imperatives for the benefit of national development; Participating in advocacy events to advance and lay the ground work for the OECS RSDS.

Preparing resource plans for presentation to national budget committees and leaders.
OECS Commission Achieving our vision will require active participation by all partners and effective leadership by the Commission.

In its leadership role, The Commissions will employ a consultative and inclusive approach.
Provide statistical policy direction and ensure compliance with regional policies for official statistics and data to monitor regional integration; Provide leadership and technical advice on harmonisation and standardisation issues; Provide direction to the RSS and engage other government leaders to accept ownership.

Increasingly ensure compliance with the required standards, principles and protocols.
1 2 3 4 76 OECS Commission Achieving our vision will require active participation by all partners and effective leadership by the Commission.

In its leadership role, The Commissions will employ a consultative and inclusive approach.

5 Mobilise resources to the achievement of shared outcomes.

6 7 8 Regularly monitor the health and performance of the RSS.

Provide expert advice and dispatch technical assistance to Member States.
Coordinate regional statistical activities and design and implement prioritised regional statistical projects ECCB As the co-leader of the single space, will endeavour to influence and advocate to the appropriate people and institutions.

1 2 3 4 Use appropriate forums to solicit and negotiate buy-in for the OECS RSDS; Use available and applicable networking mechanisms to participate and support implementation; Provide expert advice and dispatch technical assistance to Member States.
Coordinate regional statistical activities and design and implement prioritised regional statistical projects; Development Partners As the primary and largest source of investment in statistical development, partners will endeavour to support initiatives that can have the widest and deepest impact for the OECS region.

1 2 3 4 5 Abide by the principles of the Paris Declaration for Aid Effectiveness.

Acknowledge and respond to the imperative for a regional approach to strengthen statistical systems.
Where applicable, consider the OECS Commission and the ECCB as the first point of engagement; Commit to a demand-driven approach for statistical development; Seek to understand the regional arrangements and their implications for statistical development 77 Monitoring and Evaluation A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for the OECS RSDS is an important tool for the governance of the strategy, for lessons learnt and for allowing for course-correction during implementation.
The framework will help us know how fast and how well we are advancing toward our desired future state.

It forms the basis for clear and accurate reporting on the results achieved by the interventions.

The M&E framework for the OECS RSDS will be consistent with the Commission’s M&E Policy.

Using a results-based management framework, progress reports will be prepared by and for the appropriate oversight arrangements.
To satisfy transparency and accountability requirements, the assessment and review reports will be publicly disseminated.

Monitoring Mechanisms Monitoring the OECS RSDS will require performance data to measure attainment of objectives.

A results framework will be developed for each of the three phases.

High level annual action plans will be informed by decisions and directives from the oversight bodies.
The following arrangements are proposed to be part of the monitoring framework: Table 7: Monitoring and Oversight Bodies Group OECS RSDS Steering committee Description Meeting twice a year, with an extraordinary meeting convened prior to a meeting of the EAC and/or OECS Authority.

National governance arrangements Meeting four times a year, and scheduled so that at least one is in advance of the OECS RSDS Steering Committee meeting.
National arrangements, groups/committees According to their Terms of Reference Regional technical committees According to their Terms of Reference Regional technical groups According to their Terms of Reference Committee of NSO Heads Meeting of the NSO Heads twice a year, with at least one meeting scheduled in advance of the CARICOM SCCS Meeting.
Development Partners Task Force for Statistics According to their Terms of Reference, with at least one meeting scheduled in advance of the OECS RSDS Steering Committee.

78 Evaluation Evaluation of the OECS RSDS will be a systematic examination of the outcomes against its stated goals.

The outcomes and goals are usually more challenging as they measure changes in knowledge, attitudes and practice/behaviours and require a longer timeframe and more focused assessments.
Regular feedback surveys, observance of use of data in government policy and debate, research and other knowledge products are among the sources of information to measure progress towards our vision.

An external mid-term and end of phase review will be done for each of the three phases (See Figure 9).

Table 8: Risk Mitigation Strategy Risks Mitigation Strategy 1.

Weak commitment from governments 1a.


the OECS Commission and the ECCB will use their respective governance arrangements and numerous networking groups to continuously advocate to governments for to support the OECS RSDS.

2.

Member States may not commit to the RSDS approach.

2a.

This is addressed by the adoption of the OECS RSDS, which commits governments to accord to the vision, principles and governance arrangements; 2b.
The OECS RSDS includes advocacy actions such that encourage and support governments to give high priority statistical development.

3.

Unrealistic and ambitious timelines.

3a.

Use the results of monitoring the implementation plans to revise deliverables and timelines.

4.

Expected financing: Unrealistic investment and costs estimates.

5.

Inconsistent, incorrect, delayed or contaminated information.

6.

Ignoring subsidiarity 4a.


the OECS Commission and the ECCB will continue advocate to governments for increased and sustain investment in Statistics.

4b.

Adoption of the OECS RSDS commits to allocating adequate budgetary provisions; 4c.

Development partners have demonstrated a strong and continuing commitment to the results agenda, the Busan Action Plan for Statistics and the 2030 Agenda; 5a.
Regular meetings, sharing reports and publishing reports are necessary means to ensure information can be distilled and checked; 6a.

Extracting national work plans allows Members States to preserve the national priorities form the RSDS.

7.

Fragmented aid: Aiming for full alignment or avoiding alignment; 7a.

This will be addressed by ensuring adherence to the NSDS as the common implementation and coordination framework at the national level.
79 Measuring NSO Productivity and NSS Performance How well the OECS RSS is meeting the needs and expectations of those who depend on data and official statistics will be regularly measured.

Since performance traverses the other six clusters, it stands out as a horizontal barometer, the goal of which is to continuously measure and record the return on investment in statistical development to become and remain an empowered, responsive and visible OECS RSS.
To achieve the OECS Economic Union’s vision for official statistics as expressed in the five strategic priorities, the productivity of the NSOs, the performance of the NSSs, and the statistical leadership of the OECS Commission will be regularly assessed, their aggregate results will be used to rank the RSS and the NSSs among other regions and contexts.

There are several tools and frameworks available to measure the capacity, capability, efficacy and commitment of the systems, actors.
Among the tools are the IMF DQAF, the World Bank’s Statistical Capacity Building Indicators, PARIS21 Statistical Evaluation and Progress (STEP), customer satisfaction surveys administered by the OECS Commission.

This information will be used to update the OECS RSDS and course-correct initiatives.

It will also be informed by the emerging developments at the national, regional and global levels.
Statistical Development Cluster The statistical development cluster categorisation will be another tool to capture current and future elements of the initiatives.

A toolkit of matrices will be built to analyse investment trends, make comparisons among countries, and spot areas that receive either too much or too little strategic interventions.

Matrices can be produced for a country, the Economic Union, statistical domains, development partner among others.
They can be used to single out a cluster and assess its elements against the strategic priorities and initiatives.
Some examples of single view matrices are:  Allocation of investment: this view helps to see trends in resource mobilisation and use during implementation and affords a broad perspective of which area (cluster, strategic priority) of statistical development requires more or less investment;  Level of investment: The amount of resources invested in a cluster for one or more periods can be presented in matrices.
This can be used to analyse the trend and to calculate changes in the level of investment over a period of time;  Assessments and recommendations: Using a standard categorisation for assessing an NSO, NSS or other type of statistical organisation makes it easier to see how well the recommendations are being addressed.
Annex II illustrates how the clusters are linked to the international principles, database on international statistical activities and good statistical practices; and Annex IV to the SWOT; and Annex V to the OECS RSS Assessment.

80  Achievements: This matrix would show an inventory of statistical development initiatives over a specific number of years.
It will help to discern the areas that have received most investment compared to those that are important and did not get focus;  Relative comparisons among Member States: Country matrices showing areas of statistical development for which a country does relatively better than or has expertise superior to its counterparts (centres of excellence) are highlighted.

These advantages offer opportunities for learning, south-south training and determining resource allocation.
Figure 13: Governance Arrangements for OESC RSDS e.g LSMC 81 Advocacy and Communication Programme An advocacy programme will be prepared for the OECS RSDS and administered collaboratively among the OECS Commission’s Communication Services Unit, Statistical Services Unit, the ECCB, the NSOs and other partners for statistics.

The programme will consist of advocacy strategies, implementation plans, campaigns and events.
The PARIS21 knowledge resources and guidelines for statistical advocacy offer methodology, tools, tips and messages to “convince policy-makers, civil society, the Media, NGOs and representatives of multilateral and bilateral agencies in developing countries of the importance of statistics in the wider context of development”.

The goal of the programme is to effectively replace the vicious cycle of performance with a virtuous cycle of performance.
 Methodology: Starts by identifying, distinguishing and prioritising the target audiences, understanding their statistical needs and packaging the communication to satisfy how they use statistics.

Tools: There is a wide range of tools and activities that include meetings, conferences and round-tables to developing advocacy material (videos, flyers, newsletters, statistical publications) and paraphernalia.
User needs and satisfaction survey are also useful tools to get a pulse on the target audiences’ perception of RSS performance.

Tips: The advocacy and communication plan will take advantage of any event where the target audience is assembled; use social media wisely but frequently; identify champions, particularly at the political level.

Messages: A message is a concise and persuasive statement that captures what we want to say to a target audience and what we want to change.
Among the topics for the RSDS are coordination, investment, importance and use of statistics.

As mentioned in the M&E section, information about the OECS RSDS will be published regularly on the OECS Commission’s and the NSOs’ website to release information on the implementation progress and the results that have been achieved.
82 83 Glossary of Terms Definition Interpretation / Application Term Capacity Harmonise Standardise Impact Outcome Harmony in official statistics should be seen as a state in which NSOs throughout the region are able to use a regionally-accepted and an internationally-recognised statistical treatment that is appropriate to their circumstances without being constrained to do otherwise by national statistical regulations or other requirements to adopt practices confined to particular nations.
Standardisation means creating uniform business processes across various divisions or locations.

The expected results are processes that consistently meet their cost and performance objectives using a well-defined practice.

Standardisation, thus, reduces the risk of failure, lowers the total expenses, using economics of scale.

The long-term consequences of the program, may be positive and negative effects.
The likely or achieved short-term and medium- term effects or changes of an intervention’s outputs.

Methodology and questionnaire for multi-dimensional poverty indicators and labour force survey.

Computer-aided personal interviewing (CAPI) tools and software.

Improved trust in statistics Increased skills Increased access; Improved quality Number of people trained Number of workshops conducted Outputs The products, capital goods, and services that result from a development intervention.
Activities Actions taken or work performed Training workshops conducted Inputs The financial, human, and material resources used for the development intervention.

Technical Expertise Equipment Funds 84 Annexes 85 Annex I: Definition of Official Statistics, NSO, NSS, RSS Official Statistics: Statistics are fundamental to good government, to the delivery of public services and to decision-making in all sectors of society.
Official statistics are defined as those statistics produced by government departments and agencies including statistics collected by surveys or from administrative systems.

They provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the Government, the economy and the public with data about the economic, demographic, social and environmental situation.
To this end, official statistics that meet the test of practical utility are to be compiled and made available on an impartial basis by official statistical agencies to honour citizens' entitlement to public information.

Official statistics is a public good.

National statistical office (NSO): This is a generic name given to the organisation with responsibility for producing official statistics.
It exists to provide information to the public, government and the business community in the economic, demographic, social and environmental domains.

The quality of official statistics depends largely on the cooperation of citizens, enterprises and other respondents in providing appropriate, timely and reliable data to statistical agencies.

In order for the public to trust official statistics, a statistical agency must have a set of fundamental values and principles that earn the respect of the public.
These include independence, relevance and credibility as well as respect for the rights of respondents.

86 National statistical system (NSS): The application of the principle of systems thinking and systems dynamics act as a guide.

The system has actors, rules, relationships and feedback mechanisms.

An NSS’s actors is the ensemble of statistical organisations and units within a country that collaboratively collect, process, analyse and disseminate official statistics on behalf of government.
The regulations provide for in statistical legislation and other policies (e.g dissemination and revision policies) and guidelines, standards and classifications insisted on by the NSO.

The NSS depends on the responses (solicited and unsolicited) to its structured undertakings, its statistical products and services, and so it is incumbent on it to manage respondent burden, and nurture partnerships to share the responsibility for and the risks in statistical operations.
The system is as strong as its weakest link.

Regional Statistics System: A system is more than a sum of its parts.

As such, the regional statistical system is more than a collection of the NSSs.

Given that each NSS exists in sovereign a country, the RSS would require more than “encouragement” to solicit the support, participation and compliance from the NSSs in the pursuit of a regional approach to statistical development.
In short, the RSS currently remains a concept that describes the space within which the NSSs operate with the OECS Commission as the executor of a Treaty that binds the Member States to pursue joint plans and common policies 85 Annex II: Extract of an Indicative Implementation Plan G Statistical Governance G1 G1.1 Strategic Objective 1 > Strategic Action 1 > Ref.
Act ivities (count = 2) SDI-code IRDA Level SP Responsible Centres Estimated costs (USD) Outputs and intermediate outcomes G1.1.1 G1.1.2 Procure consulting services to develop a governance framework RSDSSCB WB Convene appropriate consultations to discuss governance frameworkRSDSSCB WB B B 1 OECS Commission; WB 1 OECS Commission; ORSC 40,000 Report with recommendations; 5,000 Modernised draft legislation; G1: To enhance governance of the OECS RSS P riority: 1 G1.1 Design a governance framework for the OECS RSS Total estimated cost 45,000 Start Date Dec-16 Jul-16 End Date Duration Phase Status Apr-17 Feb-21 0yrs 4mths 4yrs 7mths 1 1 60,000 4.12% of grand total estimated costs for the OECS RSDS O Statistical Administration 100,000 6.86% of grand total estimated costs for t he OECS RSDS O1 O1.1 Strategic Objective 1 > Strategic Action 1 > Ref.
Activities (count = 3) O1: To engender shared responsibility and foster account ability within the OECS RSS Priority: 1 O1.1 Construct and operationalise arrangements to collaborate on statist ical development and production.
End Date Outputs and int ermediate out comes Estimated costs (USD) SP Responsible Centres SDI-code IRDA Start Date Level Total estimated cost 100,000 Duration Phase Status Procure service to assess statistical functions in key NSS data producers O1.1.1 O1.1.2 Design a configuation for statistical units for key sector ministries O1.1.3 Implement approved configurations N N N 2 2 2 Public Service Commission Gov't 100,000 Report with recommendations Jan-17 Jan-18 1yrs 0mths 1 A Statistical Advocacy A1 A1.1 Strategic Objective 1 > Strategic Action 1 > 90,000 6.17% Percentage of total estimated costs A1: To continuously amplify the visibility of the OECS RSS Priority: 1 A1.1 Design and roll out a region-wide advocacy and communication strategy Total estimated cost 90,000 Ref.
Activities (count = 3) SDI-code IRDA Level SP Responsible Centres Estimated costs (USD) Outputs and intermediate out comes Start Date End Date Duration Phase Status A1.1.1 Design an advocacy and communication plan for the OECS RSDS A1.1.2 A1.1.3 Implement the advocacy and communication plan Build a network of advocacy focal points PARIS21 OECSC R R 5 OECS Commission 5 NSO; 5 90,000 Plan; Advocacy material, etc 86 Annex III: Activities, Principles and Practices of Official Statistics Organised by Clusters Clusters CARICOM Code of Practice DISA UNFPOS PGISA Statistical Governance Professional Independence (P1); Mandate for data collection (P2); Statistical Confidentiality (P5); Impartiality and Objectivity (P6); 5.1 Institutional frameworks and principles; role and organization of official statistics Professional Independence (P1); Mandate for data collection (P2); Statistical Confidentiality (P5); Impartiality and Objectivity (P6); Statistical Administration Adequacy of Resources (P3); 5.4 Management and development of human resources (e.g training workshops); Adequacy of Resources (P3); Non-excessive burden on respondents (P8); Cost effectiveness (P10); To maintain the trust in international statistics, their production is to be impartial and strictly based on the highest professional standards; The public has a right to be informed about the mandates for the statistical work of the organisations; Individual data collected about natural persons and legal entities, or about small aggregates that are subject to national confidentiality rules, are to be kept strictly confidential and are to be used exclusively for statistical purposes or for purposes mandated by legislation; Standards for national and international statistics are to be developed on the basis of sound professional criteria, while also meeting the test of practical utility and feasibility; The public has a right to be informed about the mandates for the statistical work of the organisations; 87 Annex III: Activities, Principles and Practices of
 Official Statistics Organised by Clusters Clusters CARICOM Code of Practice DISA UNFPOS PGISA 5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building; Statistical Infrastructure Quality commitment (P4); Sound methodology (P7); Appropriate statistical procedures (P8); Cost effectiveness (P10); Coherence and comparability (P14); Statistical Undertakings Relevance (P11); Accuracy and reliability (P12); Timeliness and punctuality (P13); Accessibility and clarity (P15); 4.0 Methodology of data collection, processing, dissemination and analysis; 5.5 Management and development of technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing).
Quality commitment (P4); Sound methodology (P7); Appropriate statistical procedures (P8); Non-excessive burden on respondents (P8); Cost effectiveness (P10); Accuracy and reliability (P12); Coherence and comparability (P14); 1.0 Demographic and Social Statistics; Mandate for data collection (P2); 2.0 Economic Statistics; Sound methodology (P7); 3.0 Environment and Multi- domain statistics; Appropriate statistical procedures (P8); 5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of Non-excessive burden on respondents (P8); 88 Individual data collected about natural persons and legal entities, or about small aggregates that are subject to national confidentiality rules, are to be kept strictly confidential and are to be used exclusively for statistical purposes or for purposes mandated by legislation; Concepts, definitions, classifications, sources, methods and procedures employed in the production of international statistics are chosen to meet professional scientific standards and are made transparent for the users; Erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics are to be immediately appropriately addressed; High quality international statistics, accessible for all, are a fundamental element of global information systems; Sources and methods for data collection are appropriately chosen to ensure timeliness and other aspects of quality, to Annex III: Activities, Principles and Practices of Official Statistics Organised by Clusters Clusters CARICOM Code of Practice DISA performance of statistical systems and offices Statistical Advocacy Timeliness and punctuality (P13); Accessibility and clarity (P15); UNFPOS Relevance (P11); Accuracy and reliability (P12); Timeliness and punctuality (P13); Coherence and comparability (P14); Accessibility and clarity (P15); Relevance (P11); Accessibility and clarity (P15); Timeliness and punctuality (P13); Statistical Cooperation 5.2 Statistical programmes; coordination within statistical systems; 5.6 Coordination of international statistical work; PGISA be cost-efficient and to minimise
 the reporting burden for data providers; Erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics are to be immediately appropriately addressed; The public has a right to be informed about the mandates for the statistical work of the organisations; Sources and methods for data collection are appropriately chosen to ensure timeliness and other aspects of quality, to be cost-efficient and to minimise the reporting burden for data providers; Coordination of international statistical programmes is essential to strengthen the quality, coherence and governance of international statistics, and avoiding duplication of work; Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in statistics contribute to the professional growth of the statisticians 89 Annex III: Activities, Principles and Practices of Official Statistics Organised by Clusters Clusters CARICOM Code of Practice DISA UNFPOS PGISA Statistical Performance 5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices Non-excessive burden on respondents (P8); Relevance (P11); involved and to the improvement of statistics in the organisations and in countries; Standards for national and international statistics are to be developed on the basis of sound professional criteria, while also meeting the test of practical utility and feasibility; 90 Annex IV: OECS RSS SWOT Analysis Grouped by Statistical Development Clusters Clusters Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Statistical Governance National statistics legislation in place; National statistics legislation is dated; Revise statistical legislation; Reasonable degree of professional independence; OECS Commission has weak institutional presence; NSOs do not publish work plans; Statistical Organisation NSOs well-established organisation; Underdeveloped statistical programming and planning; NSOs have a core of qualified staff; No system to determine programme priorities; Strengthened role of the OECS Commission will help improve statistical development;
 Vulnerable to high staff turn- over rate, particularly trained staff; Statistical Infrastructure Adopt sound methodologies and international best practices; Statistical Undertakings Weak capacity outside the NSO; Absence of statistical expertise; Shortfalls in observing good statistical practices; Metadata and documentation not practiced; Absence of institutionalise mechanism for harmonisation and standard setting; Business register non-existent; Under-exploited ICT for statistics; Poor quality statistics; Wide gaps in availability; Low response rates; Dissemination is under- resourced; Growing emphasis on evidence-based policy will require expanding support from development partners to produce statistics; Prevailing culture not evidence-based; Increasing and changing demands for statistics; 91 Annex IV: OECS RSS SWOT Analysis Grouped by Statistical Development Clusters Clusters Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Poor dissemination practices; OECS Economic Union will necessitate more statistics; Respondent resistance and burden may hamper data collection and quality; Inadequate advocacy and communication; Conduct frequent user needs and satisfaction surveys; No mechanism for coordination and collaboration among data producers; Absence of national and regional mechanisms for user feedback; Statistical Advocacy Statistical Cooperation Statistical Performance 92 Annex V: Recommendations for the OECS RSS Grouped by Clusters Strategic Priorities Clusters Recommendations Design and formalise the OECS RSS.
Statistical Governance Consolidate and fortify the NSSs.
Statistical Organisation Join and respond to the data revolution Statistical Infrastructure Extract insights and tell the stories Statistical Undertakings Set up an oversight statistical body at the Commission (R4); NSO to endorse the PGSA (R9); Take steps to enhance professional independence (R11); Update national statistical legislation (R18) Strengthen statistical operations at Commission (R6); Ensure effective coordination of Commission’s statistical work (R7); Conserve and enhance human capacity in NSOs (R12); Explore fuller utilisation of administrative records (R20); Craft an integrated statistics work programme (R5); Conduct a detailed study of statistical requirements (R8); Increase internet presence and improve dissemination (R15); Trumpet and value official statistics Statistical Advocacy Have sustained recognition of the importance of statistics at the highest level (R3); Intensify advocacy and awareness activities (R14); Statistical Cooperation OECS Commission and partners should take steps to develop an RSDS (R1); Design and formalise the OECS RSS.
Consolidate and fortify the NSSs.

Produce a resource mobilisation plan for the next phases of the RSDS (R2) Design and formulate an RSDS (R10) Express commitment to design and implement a regional strategy for the development of statistics (R16) NSOs should commence preparations of NSDS (R17) Lay the groundwork for stronger coordination within the NSS (R19) Execute periodic user needs and satisfaction surveys (R13); 93 Consolidate and fortify the NSSs.
Statistical Performance Annex VI: Linking the OECS RSDS to the CARICOM Action Plan and the Global Transformative Agenda OECS RSDS Strategic Priorities OECS Statistical Development Clusters CARICOM Action Plan Issues Global Transformative Agenda for Official Statistics Global Agenda Design and Formalise the OECS RSS Statistical governance; Statistical cooperation Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs Statistical administration; Strengthen National Statistical System; Statistical infrastructure; Join and respond to the Data revolution Statistical undertakings; Upgrade the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) base of the NSO/NSS to enable the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics with greater efficiency; Promote careers in Statistics – embedding statistics as a [data] science in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools and enabling scholarships at the tertiary level; Endorse and promote the CAPS.
Upgrade the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) base of the NSO/NSS to enable the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics with greater efficiency; Coordination and strategic leadership on data for sustainable development Coordination at and between the Global and Regional Statistical System Training and Capacity Building; Coordination and strategic leadership on data for sustainable development; Mobilising resources and coordinating efforts for statistical capacity building; Integrated statistical systems; Strengthen basic statistical activities and programmes Coordination and strategic leadership on data for sustainable development; Innovation and modernization; Integrated statistical systems Integrated Statistical systems: Data collection, Processing and Dissemination of Integrated Statistics Innovation and modernization of national statistical systems 94 Annex VI: Linking the OECS RSDS to the CARICOM Action Plan and the Global Transformative Agenda OECS RSDS Strategic Priorities OECS Statistical Development Clusters CARICOM Action Plan Issues Global Transformative Agenda for Official Statistics Global Agenda Extract insights and tell the story Trumpet and Value Statistics.
Statistical cooperation Endorse and promote the CAPS.

Communication and Advocacy; Statistical Advocacy Endorse and promote the CAPS.
Communication and Advocacy; Dissemination and use of data for sustainable development Multi-stakeholder partnerships for data for sustainable development; 95 Annex VII: Linking the CARICOM Action Plan to the OECS RSDS CARICOM Action Plan Issue 1: Governments should undertake the strengthening of the national statistical systems (NSS) and specifically the national statistical offices (NSO); Issue 2: Governments should pursue the upgrading of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) base; Issue 3: Promoting of careers in statistics should be undertaken by Governments embedding statistics as a [data] science in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools and enabling scholarships at the tertiary level; Issue 4: Governments should endorse and promote the Caribbean Association of Professional Statisticians (CAPS); OECS Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics Achieved In Progress Planned OECS harmonised LFS-MPI; OECS harmonised JOLTS; OECES harmonised Population and Housing Census; OECS RSDS Steering Committee; Executing the5-year OECS Sustainable Household Data Programme for collecting and analysing socio-economic data using a multi-dimensional poverty measurement framework.
; Member States are establishing national governance arrangements for official statistics; Strategic Priority 1: Design and formalise the OECS RSS; Strategic Priority 2: Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs; NSOs transitioning from paper-based questionnaires to using computer- aided personal interviewing tools and software; Strategic Priority 2: Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs; Strategic Priority 3: Join and Respond to the Data Revolution; An NSO Statistician is pursuing master’s degree in official Statistics at University of South Hampton, UK; Career talks with fifth formers to promote the statistics profession as a viable career; Strategic Priority 2: Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs; Strategic Priority 5: Trumpet and Value Official Statistics; Strategic Priority 2: Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs; Strategic Priority 5: Trumpet and Value Official Statistics; NSO Heads are members; Issue 5: Governments should support a regional approach to the OECS sector (education, tourism, agriculture, energy,) The OECS RSDS is carving out from the CARICOM RSWP and Action Plan Strategic Priority 1: Design and formalise the OECS RSS; 96 Annex VII: Linking the CARICOM Action Plan to the OECS RSDS CARICOM Action Plan development of statistics to optimise scarce resources in the strengthening of the NSS.
OECS Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics Achieved In Progress Planned and cross-cutting themes (energy, telecommunication) strategies, plans and policies that require data for implementation; the OECS-context specific and Treaty- enabled actions and activities.
Strategic Priority 2: Consolidate and Fortify the NSSs; Member States will then extract from the OECS RSDS national annual statistics work plans and incorporate them in national budgets 97 outputs it has achieved include: the OECS Stats-in-Focus newsletter; harmonised OECS Population and Housing Census, the OECS Labour Force Survey and OECS Sustainable Household Data Programme.
In addition to these activities, the OECS Commission, as a beneficiary to UNICEF-CDB DevInfo Implementation project rolled out the OECSInfo database.
The SSU has the following staff positions:  Head  Statistical Development Officer – Advocacy  Statistical Development Officer: Economic and Business Statistics;  Enhanced Country Poverty Assessment Project Implementation Team: Project Coordinator Research and Survey Statistician Social and Gender Specialist Statistical Assistant Information Officer GIS Specialist Annex VIII: Statistical Services Unit The Statistical Services Unit (SSU), which is located within the Economic Affairs and Regional Integration Division, was created in November 2015 to lead and coordinate the OECS Commission’s data and statistical agenda for the OECS Economic Union.
The SSU’s mission is to support Member States’ efforts to produce, disseminate and use harmonised and reliable data and official statistics to monitor the process of regional integration.

Its mandate is to facilitate capacity (institutional, organisational, human) building for the production and dissemination of quality harmonised official statistics and regional integration data for and about the Economic Union; and to provide advocacy support for the use, investment in official statistics.
The SSU works with Member States to establish appropriate frameworks, policies and systems to integrate new data sources and official statistics and to create mechanisms for governance, coordination and partnerships.

Its services target the internal and external needs of the OECS Commission.

Since its creation, the SSU has been actively involved in designing the OECS RSDS, soliciting support from key policy-makers, regional institutions and development partners.
However, prior to its establishment, the OECS Commission’s statistical work over the last 10 years is evidenced by numerous activities that support and promote a harmonised approach for official statistics.
Some of the tangible 98 Annex IX: Quality Assessment and Capacity Measurement Tools Tool Author Use Tool for Assessing Statistical Capacity (TASC) US Bureau of Census World Bank Statistical Capacity Indicators World Bank Generic National Quality Assurance Framework UNSD National Statistical Capacity Index (ICEN) IDB Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) IMF Global Open Data Index World Bank A self-assessment instrument used to measure and evaluate the statistical capacity of a country’s NSS, and more specifically, the operational capacity of its NSO.
A composite score assessing the capacity of a country’s statistical system.

It is based on a diagnostic framework assessing methodology; data sources; and periodicity and timeliness.

To assist countries that may wish to formulate and operationalize national quality frameworks of their own, or further enhance existing ones.

Assesses the quantity and quality of resources used or producing official statistics.
ICEN has four modules: i) resources; ii) institutionalisation; iii) methodologies; iv) dissemination.

The first two modules provide insight into the technical ability to generate statistics, while last two modules focus on institutional statistical capacity.
Five dimensions--assurances of integrity, methodological soundness, accuracy and reliability, serviceability, and accessibility--of data quality and a set of prerequisites for data quality are the centre of the IMF Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF).

The DQAF, which is used for comprehensive assessments of countries' data quality, covers institutional environments, statistical processes, and characteristics of the statistical products.
an annual effort to measure the state of open government data around the world.

A crowdsourced survey is used to assess the openness of specific government datasets according to the Open Definition.

Through this initiative civil society receives an audit of how governments publish data - with input and review from citizens and organisations around the world.
The Index ranks countries based on the availability and accessibility of data in thirteen key categories, including government spending, election results, procurement, and pollution levels Statistical Evaluation and Progress Tool PARIS21 To assess statistical capacity in the national statistical system 99