CARICOM CARICOM Overview of Strategic Planning in

CARICOM

CARICOM Overview of Strategic Planning in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Meeting on Strategic Statistical Planning for Small Island Developing States 21 February 2009 UNSD, New York

CARICOM Content of Presentation • Brief Overview of CARICOM • Strategic planning - some considerations; • Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region – some country highlights; • General Conclusions.

CARICOM Brief Overview of CARICOM • CARICOM comprises: • 15 CARICOM Member States are: • Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago ; • 5 Associate Members are: • Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands ;

CARICOM Brief Overview of CARICOM • In 1989 with the aspiration of regional integration the objectives of the Community were reaffirmed and broadened to include the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); • Some of the Objectives of the Community are: • To improve the standards of living and work; • The full employment of labour and other factors of production; • Enhanced coordination of foreign and economic policies of Member States and enhanced functional cooperation.

CARICOM Brief Overview of CARICOM • The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was created: • To set new strides for the regional integration process; • To facilitate economic development in an increasingly globalised environment • To transform from a common market to a single economic space allowing for free movement of goods, services, persons, rights of establishments etc and in general increased international competitiveness.

CARICOM Brief Overview of CARICOM • The CARICOM Secretariat is the principal administrative organ of the Community and its functions include: • Servicing the integration process; • to collect, store and disseminate information relevant to the achievement to the objectives • Mission of Regional Statistics Programme: • To develop a sustainable statistical infrastructure within the CARICOM Secretariat providing accurate, timely and reliable statistical information of a high quality and broad scope … and fostering a similar enabling environment for statistical development among countries of the Caribbean Community.

CARICOM Brief Overview of CARICOM • The Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS): • A forum established to promote and provide advice for the development of statistics in the Region; • The Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS) which focuses on: • Implementing the Resolution on strengthening the National Statistical Systems; and • Establishing and implementing the common Regional Statistical Work Programme • Among the focus at both the SCCS and the AGS has been the issue of Strategic Planning in Statistics.

CARICOM Strategic Planning - Some Considerations • National Statistical Office versus National Statistical System; • Participation of Staff/stakeholders in the process/ Knowledge of internal and External Environment; • Objectives relative to statistical processes, outputs and outcomes/sustaining processstatistical capacity building; • Statistical legislative framework; • Implementation of the Plan/budgetary requirements and funding.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Jamaica: • In 2001, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) completed the Strategic planning process; • Culminated in a development Plan – The Modernisation of STATIN – A Strategic Plan 2002 -2005 ; • Strategic Areas and Delivery Strategies identified.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Bermuda: • Strategic Planning - initial efforts limited to upper management/need for increased staff; • New strategic plan – all staff/key stakeholders engaged in process/various needs including preparation for the conduct of the Census; • Approach is that of a Business Plan with a strategic view of a 4 -year period (2009 -2012); • Stakeholder relationships /data providers.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region The Bahamas: • A five (5) year strategic plan which goes up to 2010 is in operation. • One major part of the plan was to work with statistical units within other government departments. • Seminar was held for Senior personnel from ministries on procedures and protocols on statistics. • Informal meetings of technical personnel.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Suriname: • Strategic plan was prepared covering a period of 15 years. • Currently all necessary efforts are being put in place to upgrade to the statistical system in an effort to maximise its output; • Continuation of the process and expansion to the National Statistical System – assistance is being sought from PARIS 21;

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Trinidad and Tobago: • Extremely old Strategic Plan; • Currently in Transformation mode; • Programme of Work rather than Strategic Plan currently exists.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Barbados: . No Strategic Plan exists; • Office about to embark on a Modernisation process; • Situational Analysis exists and was presented to the regional statistical meeting; • Looking for support re advocacy event.

CARICOM Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region Belize: . No Strategic Plan exists; • Office has been transformed to an Institute just over one year; • Human Resource (HR) Strategy as well as a Data Dissemination Strategy. • Plans are being made for a Strategic Planning Workshop; • A request was made for assistance from PARIS 21.

Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region CARICOM . Dominica seems to be commencing the process; • Saint Lucia – no Strategic Plan but a development plan was prepared; Guyana undergoing Project to improve and sustain the capacity of Guyana(through it's Central Bureau of Statistics and overall statistical system). • Two basic components of Guyana’s approach: -Institutional Strengthening of the Bureau of Statistics; and Upgrading of Data Management and Analysis in Social Sector Line Ministries;

Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region CARICOM . Obstacles and Challenges: • Size, Resources, Legislation and Leadership; • High staff-turnover, limited supply of trained and highly-skilled statisticians; • New breed of statisticians not focused on/committed to long-term career prospects; • Low remuneration/conditions of work not always of its best;

Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region CARICOM . Obstacles and Challenges (continued): • Budgetary issues re parent ministry; • Non-response and uncoordinated national statistical system; • legislative framework in need of updating to effectively address non-response as well as coordination; • Increasing demand for data and the need to remain relevant and to conform to international standards;

Status of Strategic Planning Activities in the Region CARICOM . Obstacles and Challenges (continued): • The ability to provide the data to users in a timely and user-friendly manner; • Inadequate IT infrastructure in some cases; • The need to continue to interface with users and data producers; • Leadership of the process- the need to think strategically.

General Conclusions. No consistent approach to Strategic Planning; CARICOM • The initiative of PARIS 21 is welcome as it can be adapted as required to suit SIDS; • Provides a more coherent framework in its focus on the NSS; • A more common approach region-wide for setting priorities, implementing the common Regional Statistical Work Programme; • Produce statistics of high quality to support the policy environment of the integration process/national policy objectives.

CARICOM THE END