The Tribune

Plans for strengthening The Bahamas national statistical system, so that it can better support evidence-based decision-making by policymakers and national development, were recently discussed by the National Statistical Committee (NSC)

The Committee’s meeting was convened by the Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI) as part of efforts to advance the national strategy for the development of statistics (NSDS). The latter brings together representatives from bodies that produce and use official statistics.

The BNSI, in a statement, said the latest meeting builds on the National Statistical Committee’s (NSC) first gathering in March 2026, when members identified development of the NSDS as a key priority.

Supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the NSDS development process aims to strengthen BNSI and the wider national statistical system, helping The Bahamas produce and share more timely, accessible and reliable official statistics. The NSDS will also help identify what needs to be improved, where resources should be directed, and how institutions can work together more effectively.

Dr Jamiko Deleveaux, the BNSI’s managing director and chairman of the National Statistical Committee, emphasised that strengthening the statistical system requires collaboration beyond any one single institution.

“No man is an island, and for us to build a strong national statistical system, it’s dependent on every government agency, private sector organisation and non-profit organisation to come together and utilise the data to help tell the story of The Bahamas,” he said.

The BNSI said a stronger national statistical system can provide policymakers with a clearer understanding of current conditions, and a more reliable foundation for planning in areas such as health, education and socioeconomic development.

Geoffrey Greenwell, an IDB consultant supporting the NSDS development process, said: “The national strategy for the development of statistics, or the NSDS, should achieve a level of collaboration within the national statistical system.

“So institutions are not just buildings; institutions are the inter-agency relationships that develop across time. The NSDS is about building those relationships across agencies that help the unit act as one.”

Mr Greenwell pointed to the importance of an up-to-date national registry of dwellings and housing, particularly in a country exposed to hurricanes. Such information can support census work while also helping authorities identify where people live and respond more effectively when emergencies occur.

Don Williams, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Confederation (BCCEC) chairman, added that businesses and industry rely on statistics to understand changing conditions, identify opportunities and make decisions about future growth.

“We, as a country, need to strengthen our national statistics. It is imperative because it is those statistics that allow industries, businesses, even the Government, to make key decisions in terms of not just the current way that they do business, but also for future impact,” Mr Williams said.

He added that statistics can help businesses understand new policies, products and services, improve efficiency, and identify opportunities to scale locally and globally.

As the NSDS development process continues, the BNSI said data producers and users will work together to identify shared priorities and establish a framework to guide statistical investment, programming and operations across The Bahamas.

In November, the NSDS will host a three-day workshop to bring together data producers and users to map out key priorities, vision and strategic data collection for the next ten years, followed by the launch of the National Statistical Strategy in April 2027.  

Once developed and adopted, the NSDS is expected to provide a foundation for strengthening The Bahamas’ statistical capacity over the years ahead. For Bahamians, the long-term value of this work lies in better information about the country’s needs and a stronger basis for decisions affecting public policy, business, national development and daily life.