1. CARICOM

2. January 30- February 1, 2013 Kingston, Jamaica REGIONAL SEMINAR ON DEVELOPING A PROGRAMME for the IMPLEMENTATION of the SYSTEM OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS 2008 (2008 SNA) and SUPPORTING STATISTICS in the CARICOM REGION CARICOM

3. 3 Item II Developing a Programme for the Implementation of the 2008 SNA and Supporting Statistics OVERVIEW CARICOM

4. 4  Background and Context;  Elements of 2008 SNA Implementation Strategy:  Master plan;  Phase A- Aims and Objectives;  Phase B- Organisation;  Phase C- Compilation  Phase D - Dissemination OVERVIEW CARICOM

5. 5  Seminar for Heads of Statistical Offices and National Accountants in Belize, Oct 31-Nov 4 2011 ;  Conducted by the CARICOM Secretariat with funds from the European Union, Ninth EDF ;  In collaboration with Eurostat which provided the facilitator for the workshop; Background & Context CARICOM

6. 6  Context was the inability for most of the SIDS/LDCs to fulfill the requirements of the MRDS;  Basic principles based on strategic planning, coordination; monitoring and reporting and statistical system improvements;  Modalities included: training, technical cooperation, research and advocacy Background & Context CARICOM

7. 7  ISWGNA Action Plan contained a focus on the processes pre-integration of the data into the national accounts such as collection of the basic source data and the institutional context;  Handbook produced by Eurostat - Essential SNA – Building the Basics, follows the strategy proposed by ISWGNA & is intended to be a significant contributor to the efforts in developing country;  The implementing strategy derived by CARICOM countries essentially used this handbook as a tool in its derivation. Background & Context CARICOM

8. 8  Objective:  To facilitate the implementation of the 2008 SNA through the drafting of a national strategy adapted to suit country specific situations;  SNA is integrated and data dependent throughout the NSS: ◦ Business Establishment Surveys; ◦ Other areas of Economic Statistics; ◦ Household Surveys; ◦ Other specialised surveys ◦ Updated classification systems; ◦ Administrative Sources within the NSS.

9. 9  Location of SNA 2008 Implementation Strategy within NSDS/Strategic Planning framework;  Identify Improvements required;  Capacity constraints that exist across statistical agencies  Establish priorities for addressing data deficiencies and institutional issues;  It is not the intention for the 2008 SNA implementation to await the implementation of the Master plan.

10. 10  Elements of Master plan identified were:  Launch – low & decreasing budgets and increasing demand for statistics require efficiency in management of NSOs and productivity;  Assessments - data availability, quality, enable stakeholders’ awareness of data requirements and, commitments; user needs, relevance of data;  Identify weaknesses and strengths - impact on statistics compilation;

11. 11  Elements of Master plan identified were:  Identify weaknesses and strengths - impact on statistics compilation;  Develop vision, mission – what is feasible in the short, medium and long term;  Establish the desired results and Priorities- for addressing data deficiencies and institutional issues such as the Legal Framework, capacity.  Finance, M&E - to implement changes required and monitor the achievement of results.

12. 12  Phase A- Implementation of 2008 SNA ◦ Detailed focus on the National Accounts Division in terms of its capacity; ◦ Review Data Sources such as Household and Business Surveys and Administrative Sources; ◦ Review Statistical Outputs and the needs of international and national users; ◦ Determine milestones relative to the outputs/National Accounts tables. CARICOM Aims and Objectives

13. 13  Phase B: ◦ Strengthening of the Legal Framework – reviewing the Statistics Act to enable a more integrated statistical system and to empower the NSO and the Chief Statistician relative to official statistics; ◦ Institutional Context and the NAD- determine which organisation will implement the 2008 SNA; ◦ Organise the NAD to implement 2008 SNA:  Engage in capacity building- staffing, attachments;  SBR updating & Interdepartmental coordination; CARICOM Organisation

14. 14  Phase C: ◦ Data Collection– Establishing formal relationships with data providers:  Inter-agency collaboration;  Develop MOUs;  Creating networks (IT) to access databases; ◦ Data Sources-  Meet with data providers to discuss data and adjustments required;  Relative to the MOUs determine the actual data to be delivered, formats, frequency;  Create data storage and automated systems of compiling NA. CARICOM Compilation

15. 15  Phase C (continued): ◦ Transformation of Admin Data –  Create of bridge tables- to highlight differences relative to SNA boundaries and convert to SNA 2008;  Search for other quantitative and qualitative information ◦ Data Validation –  Check coverage, consistency and plausibility;  Undertake first run of preliminary estimates and apply balancing and reconciliation;  Produce preliminary estimates; ◦ Data Revisions:  Undertake revisions including benchmarking, methodological etc; CARICOM Compilation

16. 16  Phase D: ◦ Users –Determine users/frequency; ◦ Methods of Dissemination –Electronic, Websites, Seminars etc; ◦ Advanced Release Calendars: Develop the calendar, the target groups, details required by users etc.; CARICOM Dissemination

17. 17  Master-plans ◦ Some countries had already strategic plans for the NSOs, a few countries took steps to wards looking at the NSS- launching NSDS with the support of PARIS21 ;  Phase B - Organisation:  Developing SBR updating with ISIC Rev 4 classifications and suggested fields from SBR Manual;  Coordination/inter-agency meetings with data providers;  Discussions of adjustments required in the data;  Attachment was facilitated between two countries to help with the SBR;  Phase C- Compilation ◦ One country reported a semi-automated system in MS Access  Other Reports: ◦ 3 countries Unable to implement/staffing issues. CARICOM Feedback Obtained

18. 18  Grant Agreement has recently been signed by the CSS with the EU under the Tenth EDF;  Support would be provided to Member States in the area of National Accounts focusing on improving the data sources for SNA 2008 implementation – Statistical and Administrative;  In-country technical assistance, attachments and regional workshop (s);  Continue to have discussions with other IDPs for sustainable improvement in the national statistical systems;  Continue to collaborate with UNSD, CARTAC, ECCB, ECLAC, Eurostat etc.

19. 19 THE END CARICOM