The Central Statistical Office (CSO) of Saint Lucia has officially launched a three-day stakeholder engagement from June 1–3, 2025, to advance the development of the country’s National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS).   The NSDS is a long-term framework designed to strengthen the coordination, quality, and use of official statistics across all sectors. It provides a strategic roadmap for modernizing the national statistical system by identifying data gaps, aligning statistical outputs with national priorities and global standards.

Held under the theme “Modernizing Our Statistical System for a Data-Driven Future”, the workshop brings together key representatives from government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), regional partners, and civil society stakeholders. The sessions are designed to build consensus around a coordinated and strategic approach to improving data quality, accessibility, and institutional capacity in line with regional and international best practices.

Director of Statistics, Mr. Sean Mathurin, emphasized the importance of the NSDS process, stating, “The NSDS is a foundational and strategic initiative that will provide Saint Lucia and its Central Statistical Office (CSO) with a costed action plan and comprehensive framework to produce and compile the data required to meet the country’s data requirements over the next five years. The development, and ultimately the implementation, of Saint Lucia’s NSDS is both critical and timely, particularly in light of the current and emerging challenges affecting the production of official statistics.”

NSDS Consultant and Facilitator, Mr. Deron Boyce, “The NSDS is a national commitment to evidence-based decision-making. By strengthening coordination, improving data quality, and aligning with global standards, this strategy will enable Saint Lucia to respond more effectively to national challenges, monitor progress toward development goals, and build public trust through transparency.”

The three-day NSDS programme will assess the current state of the national statistical system, identify capacity gaps, and define strategic priorities. Through structured working groups, participants will explore four key pillars of statistical development—Institutional Environment, Statistical Infrastructure, Data Sources, and Dissemination & Use—proposing practical strategies to modernize and strengthen the system.

The NSDS development is being supported through technical assistance and knowledge-sharing from regional and international development partners, including the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission Data for Decision Making (DDM) Project funded by the World Bank. The stakeholder engagement is also supported by the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) with a focus on ensuring long-term sustainability and cross-sectoral engagement.   

For more information on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics, visit the Central Statistical Office’s website at https://stats.gov.lc/ or contact them via email at statsdept@govt.lc.