Statistical reporting practices in small island states

Abstract

The study focuses on how the small island states as a group perform in terms of their statistical reporting standards and practices for reporting and disseminating their official statistics. The main reporting standards that are analyzed in the study are the two international dissemination standards - the General Data Dissemination Standard (GDDS) and the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) - both established by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The introduction highlights the importance and purpose of the study - in particular, that official statistics are crucial for a particular country/island state to measure and compare its performance capabilities in the various sectoral data categories with respect to other countries. A research hypothesis has been formulated for investigating, among other issues, the factors that hinder small island states from complying with international reporting standards. Such factors include: lack of economic, financial and statistical resources; lack of qualified staff and shortage of staff in the national statistics offices of small island states; and lack of national interest in statistical reporting. The literature review of the study is found in Chapter 2 based on readings and information found in various websites, journals, periodicals and IMF papers. A number of publications of international repute were consulted to substantiate the subject matter, not least, the importance that countries participate in dissemination standards within the overall context and global statistical networking and transparency. The major difficulties that small island states face to comply with reporting standards as well as the type of assistance programmes that the IMF provides to small island states were also highlighted. Chapter 3 consists of a detailed analysis of the two dissemination standards - the GDDS and the SDDS. Since the ODDS is a common standard adopted by a fair number of island states, GDDS dimensions and recommendations are also investigated. Tables are also included to show the various data categories and indicators that are typically disseminated by GDDS and SDDS participant island states. Chapter 4 captures a review of some international and regional organisations that are of statistical relevance to small island states. These include the IMF, the UN and its Statistics Division, the FAO (FAOSTAT and CountrySTAT), the lLO and its Statistics Bureau, the World Bank, the UNESCAP and its Statistics Division, the Asian Development Bank, the Statistics Sub-Programme of the Caricom Secretariat, the Pacific Financial and Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC) and EUROSTAT. Chapter 5 focuses on the Methodology adopted for this particular study. A research instrument, namely a self-report questionnaire was designed, tested and sent to National Statistics Offices of various small island states. The questionnaire consists of both quantitative and qualitative question types. Chapter 6 analyses the responses obtained from the respondents to the questionnaire. Additional research carried out by the author supplements information obtained through the research tool used in this study. In the Conclusion, one finds the salient issues and concerns that have arisen from this study, in particular the difficulties that small island states encounter for implementing proper statistical practices and the potential improvements such island states have recommended in order to overcome these difficulties. For instance, small island states have recommended the need for more qualified staff in their national statistics offices as well as more specialized training for employees in order to be able to manage more effectively and efficiently the statistical reporting practices adopted. Areas for further research are also identified at the end of the concluding chapter in an effort to encourage upcoming researchers to investigate and analyze further important research areas.