1. Guam
Challenges faced in compiling International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Implementing Unit Value Indices
Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Government of Guam
Ms. Antonette N. Pitter, External Trade Supervisor
Chasity L.G. Tainatongo, Statistical Technician I

2. Organisation responsible for compiling Official IMTS
Bureau of Statistics and Plans
Business and Economic Statistics Program
Government of Guam
Public Law states in part:
“Public Law No , § (f) states: “in the event sufficient funds are not available to the Bureau, to publish all of the material required by this section; the information gathered shall be published, subject to the following priorities: (i) consumer prices; (ii) exports and imports; (iii) trade balances; and (iv) all other information deemed essential to be published. The Bureau’s Chief Economist produces and publishes the quarterly CPI and external trade data reports to satisfy provisions of this law. They are available on our website at

3. Are User needs met? What’s met: What’s not met:
Reports are published on schedule.
Expanded report format.
Are accurate.
What’s not met:
To include all commodities from all sources.
Import monthly data reported on 3-year staggered schedule since In 2016, reports to be staggered over a 4-year schedule.

4. Legal framework
Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency is an enforcement agency.
Bureau of Statistics and Plans is recognized as the National Statistics Office.
No legal framework exists to define the chain of custody of customs documents between GC&QA and BSP.
Trade staff, however, support GC&QA administrative functions as it concerns collecting commodity statistics.

5. Data sources for IMTS
BSP Trade Section obtains all original GC&QA customs documents.
Manually code and data enter commodities into the PCTrade database program as required by Guam law.
(Excludes electronically filed Customs SED documents destined to the United States)

6. Coverage and scope of IMTS
Imports (intended for resale) from all countries of origin (dollar valuations)
Exports (intended for resale) from all countries of destination excluding United States (dollar valuations)
Re-Exports from all countries of destination (co-mingled with exports) (dollar valuations)

7. Processing/IT System used by the NSO and Customs
BESP uses PCTrade (SQL networked). Data reports are converted to MS Excel and Publisher to publish reports.
GC&QA customs documents are transferred to BESP offices for manual processing, and later returned.
There are no electronic customs documents filed or exchanged between agencies.

8. Classifications used
Schedule B (Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States) 1978 edition
4-digit level
Prior to 2008 no commodities and codes were published in reports. There has been no change to SOPs since enactment of PL in 2002.

9. Valuations used for imports and exports
Imports – CIF
Exports – FOB

10. Procedures in place to edit/clean the data
The Bureau’s Business and Economics Statistics Program, as administered by the Chief Economist, has Standard Operating Procedures in place.
Trend Data Test to validate data.
Unit value test not employed since its not emphasized.

11. Dissemination: what and how
Quarterly trade export data reports are published quarterly (except trade to the US)
Monthly trade import data reports are published on a trimester schedule and staggered over a 4-year period.
All reports are available on BSP’s website and disseminated on a subscription basis in .pdf format.
All data is available in .xls format upon request.

12. Import/Export Data Publication Schedule
Quarterly (3-months inclusive)
Import Data
*2016 *2017 *2018 *2019
April January February March
August May June July
December September October November

13. Issues and challenges faced in producing unit value indices
Training of existing and new staff to know how to produce indices. Cross train with CPI staff.
Identifying commodities to be indexed and compared on a regional basis.
Realigning months reported for imports. Perhaps abandon existing staggered reporting system.
Identify and restrict to exporters of products manufactured under the Guam Product Seal program. Capture true exports.

14. Issues and challenges faced in the compilation of trade statistics
There is increasing pressure to produce complete trade statistics. Unless shippers are required by law to file electronically no improvement is expected to meet user needs.
Trade data processing should be kept in house at GC&QA. Transferring documents to and from locations imposes an unnecessary burden.

15. THANK YOU