Statistics can be a boring set of figures, but when properly analysed and applied to certain situations, the results can be both interesting and informative and of tremendous value to developing societies. That is part of the message of awareness which Member States of CARICOM and Associate Members are trying to get across to school children in particular by the observance of Statistics Day on October 15.

Mrs. Lori-Rae Alleyne Franklin

Anguilla’s Chief Statistician in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment and Commerce, Lori-Rae Alleyne-Franklin, has issued a press release in which she announced that a series of activities leading up to Statistics Day.

The theme for this year’s observance of Statistics Day is “Produced by Us for Use by Us,” with the local focus being “Why Does Anguilla need good statistics?”

“This initiative is an effort to create greater awareness and appreciation for statistics, as well as raise attention to the role of statistics in national development,” Mrs. Alleyne-Franklin stated. She explained that this can be done “by encouraging a comprehensive collaborative approach to the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics.” She hoped that it would foster “greater understanding and use of statistics by persons in Anguilla, and a culture of statistics promoted in terms of provision of data by respondents.”

The activities leading up to Statistics Day were launched on Monday this week, September 21, with a poetry competition for students at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School on the topic: “Why do we need good statistics?” and a Word Creation competition for primary school students. Participants in the latter competition are required to create known English words of three letters or more from the phrase “Anguilla needs good statistics.”

Participants in both competitions are to ensure that their name and contact details are clearly stated on their entries. As regards the word creation competition, the winners will be selected from each of two divisions as follows. Division 1, grades 3-4 and Division 2, grades 5-6. The entries will be opened on Thursday, October 15 and prizes will be awarded on that day. All entries should be received by the Statistics Department by 4.00 p.m. on October 6.
Meanwhile, there will be a countdown to Statistics Day on the radio from October 1-15 and a Statips Competition on October 13 and 14.

The opening ceremony for Statistics Day on October 15 will be held at the Teachers’ Resource Centre from 9.00 to 10.30 a.m. This will be followed by a discussion session from 2.00 – 3.00 p.m. On the topic “The need for collaboration in Government – the case for Statistics.”The participants will include Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments.

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