‘More Than Just Numbers’: Bureau of Statistics Concludes Countrywide Outreach as Guyana Observes 16th Caribbean Statistics Day

By Shenecka Paul | HGP Nightly News |

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Emphasizing that robust, high-quality data is the bedrock of national infrastructure and regional economic stability, Guyana on Thursday joined member states across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to observe the 16th Annual Caribbean Statistics Day under the theme, “Harmonizing Data, Strengthening Resilience.”

To mark the culmination of a weeks-long national public education campaign, the Bureau of Statistics brought its statistical professionals directly to citizens, staging its final public outreach along the commercial pavements of Main Street Avenue in Georgetown.

The interactive showcase gave the public a practical look into how raw demographic and household surveys directly determine public sector investments, road alignments, hospital allocations, and municipal utility infrastructure.

Nationwide Sensitization Tour: Building Trust from Markets to Stellings

Thursday’s downtown event followed an aggressive two-week regional roadshow designed to demystify statistical collection and build public trust in field enumerators across several administrative regions:

• High-Traffic Community Pop-ups: Teams from the Bureau conducted interactive educational pop-ups at key consumer transit hubs, including the Stabroek Market Square, Amazonia Mall, Diamond Market, Anna Regina Market in Region Two, Giftland Mall, and the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling in Region Three.
• Overcoming Public Apprehension: Field officers engaged shoppers, commuters, and vendors to explain why accurate responses to price monitors and labor force surveys protect consumer purchasing power and improve social safety net allocations.

Policy Leadership: Guiding Integration and Economic Stability

Commending the Bureau for taking data science out of boardroom silos and into the streets, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, highlighted the strategic necessity of statistical discipline:

• Regional Economic Alignment: Dr. Singh noted that credible data collection is vital for steering regional economic integration within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and formulating resilient macro-fiscal policies.
• Empowering the Public: In an official statement, Chief Statistician Errol La Cruez emphasized that presenting statistics in accessible, transparent formats empowers ordinary citizens to hold institutions accountable. La Cruez urged public and private stakeholders to foster a national culture where empirical evidence is genuinely valued across all sectors of society.

Grounding the Data: Impact on Daily Household Realities

Earlier in the week, statistical specialists took to the airwaves to connect macro-level indicators to household living standards:

• Evidence-Based Planning: Head of Trade and Prices at the Bureau of Statistics, Venetta Mentore, debunked misconceptions that statistics are merely abstract figures, explaining their direct impact on policy formulation:

“Statistics is more than just numbers. It provides evidence that we need to plan and make informed decisions, so as to build a more stronger and resilient Guyana and the Caribbean.”

• CARICOM Secretariat Collaboration: Highlighting regional technical alignment, Melissa Ramotar, representing the CARICOM Secretariat, outlined the ongoing support provided to national statistical offices across the Caribbean:

“The Secretariat provides technical support to the harmonizing of the data, towards the quality of the data. This is done in collaboration with international development partners.”

With Thursday’s Main Street exhibition concluding two intensive weeks of nationwide community engagements, the Bureau of Statistics reaffirmed its commitment to data accuracy, public transparency, and regional statistical harmonization to ensure Guyana’s ongoing economic transformation is guided by verifiable empirical evidence.