Prime Minister Gaston Browne
The government has revised the 2013 National Statistics Bureau Act to enhance the effectiveness and independence of the Bureau in its data collection and reporting role.
The revision will ensure uniformity in statistical practices and reporting throughout the Caribbean, thereby improving the quality of official statistics shared across the region and facilitating comparisons.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who presented the bill, emphasized the importance of strengthening the Statistics Bureau in addressing the data gaps experienced by developing countries like Antigua and Barbuda.
The bill also proposed expanding the Bureau’s board from seven to eleven members, aiming to increase representation from various sectors such as health, education, information technology, and tourism.
In addition, a provision was introduced to safeguard the independence of the Director General in carrying out responsibilities related to national statistical reporting, ensuring the objectivity and credibility of the national statistical outputs.
Furthermore, the bill increased penalties for violations of statistical laws from $2,500 or imprisonment of up to six months to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to two years.
The Prime Minister highlighted the challenges faced in obtaining timely information from various entities in both the private and public sectors and emphasized the bill’s role in strengthening the authority of the new Statistical Bureau to enforce penalties against non-cooperation.
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