Se realiza en San Cristóbal y Nieves conferencia de estadísticos de la CARICOM
St Kitts-Nevis hosts CARICOM statistical conference
Statisticians from across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are currently in St Kitts and Nevis to for a series of meetings, in commemoration of the International Year of Statistics.
An opening ceremony was held on Monday, under the theme: “Statistics in Everyday Life — Let us educate and appreciate.
In a keynote address, Minister of Education and Information Nigel Carty welcomed all present and reflected on the years’ important milestones.
“This year, as we know, marks the 40th Anniversary of CARICOM, interestingly, it has also been designated International Year of Statistics and St Kitts-Nevis celebrated its 30th anniversary as an independent nation,” he said. “All of these milestones give our gathering here today a special significance and resonance.”
“It is a fact that neither CARICOM, over the past forty years, nor St Kitts-Nevis over the past thirty, could have achieved much without the data, the trend lines, the projections – the reality that is put before us on a daily basis, all grounded in statistics, and on which we depend,” he added.
Carty said, “With this being the International year of Statistics, our agreement that the proper collection and analysis of statistical data is key to sound decision-making and management and this being a truly independent Caribbean Community — means that we must develop an even stronger cadre of Caribbean professionals in all fields of operational endeavour.”
“It is incumbent upon us all, ladies and gentlemen, that we increase public awareness of the power and impact of statistics on all aspects of society; to imaginatively encourage the embrace of study of Statistics as a profession in our region,” he said. “And to highlight the creativity, intrigue, and indeed fascination that can often be associated with the field that the vast majority of this audience has chosen.”
Beverly Harris, permanent secretary in the ministry of sustainable development, in her welcome remarks focused on the theme for this year’s conference and the importance of statistics on a whole.
“Today, reflecting on the theme, we recognize the important role that statistics play in everyday life,” she said. “There is a relationship between every individual and statistics, as they use statistics on a daily basis.
Director of statistics Carlton Phipps said that over the next couple of days a series of meetings will be held and such of these include the regional statistical seminar (RSS).
“The RSS is a recently adopted capacity building initiative, designed to enable statistical development through cooperation across the region,” he said. “This seminar provides a forum for the presentation of research, involving examination of statistical methodologies, increase analysis of data produced and the dissemination of research findings.”
He expressed his interest in the meetings ahead as it will help to better statistics nationally and regionally.
“I look forward to join my colleagues in the series of meetings to discuss the way forward for national and regional statistics,” he stated. “And to come away with concrete action plans for statistics, which will support the sustainable growth and development of my country and also deepen statistics within CARICOM countries.”
St Kitts and Nevis hosted the last such conference some seventeen years ago in 1996.
