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About Us-old

Vision

To be the leading resource center and provider of high quality statistics, easily accessible to our clients, and responsive to their needs.

Mission

To ensure that the Bahamian Government, Businesses and People are never hampered in their activities by any inadequacies of statistics, their recent trends or their interpretation; and in particular, to ensure that the managers of the Bahamian economy in the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and elsewhere, never lack adequate statistics nor argue about them.

Function of The Department of Statistics

 

The Department of Statistics is the Government Agency in The Bahamas mandated by law to collect, process, analyze and disseminate statistics. The present legislation governing the operation of the Department of Statistics is “The Statistics Act of 1973”.

 

The Department of Statistics is subject to the Minister of Finance and functions under the direct supervision of the Director of Statistics. The Department therefore under the direction of The Director of Statistics is mandated:

  • to take any census of population and housing in The Bahamas;
  • to collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, agricultural, mining, social, financial, economic and general activities and conditions of The Bahamas;
  • to take any census of population and housing in The Bahamas;
  • to collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, agricultural, mining, social, financial, economic and general activities and conditions of The Bahamas;
  • to collaborate with other Government departments, commissions, bodies incorporated directly by the Legislature and other organizations, in the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of statistical records of or connected with those departments, commissions, bodies and organizations;
  • to advise the Government on all matters of policy relating to statistics;
  • to conduct general purpose surveys in The Bahamas; and
  • generally to organize a coordinated scheme of economic and social statistics relating to The Bahamas

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Organization Chart

 


Organisation chart

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Historical Overview

 

The Department of Statistics has a rich history of collecting and disseminating aggregated results since it inception in 1968. The country can look forward to a modern department when it transitions to a Statistical Institution in the near future.

1968

Department of Statistics Established

1969

J. E. Tertullien appointed First Director of Statistics
First Statistical Abstract Published

1970

Census of Population and Housing
Household Budgetary Survey

1971

Monthly Newsletter Introduced

1972

Retail Price Index (RPI) Revised –New Base Year

1973

Statistics Act Passed
Freeport Office Established
National Accounts Estimates Produced

1974

Relocated to Clarence A. Bain Building
Population Projections Produced

1978

Bahamas in Figures Introduced

1980

Census of Population and Housing

1986

First Personal Computer Introduced

1990

Census of Population and Housing

1991

Hosted 16th Annual SCCS Meeting
Institutional Strengthening/Technical Cooperation

1993

Charles Stuart Appointed Second Director

1994

Consumer Price Index (CPI) Revised –New Base Year

1995

Local Area Network Introduced

1996

World Customs Organization
Harmonized System for the Classification of Foreign Trade Introduced

2000

Census of Population and Housing

2001

Bahamas Living Conditions Survey
Hosted 26th Annual SCCS Meeting

2003

Occupations and Wages Survey Introduced

2006

Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) Produced
Household Expenditure Survey/Poverty Survey
Customized Application Systems Introduced

2008

Kelsie Dorsett Appointed first woman Director of Statistics
First Economic Census
DOS Website Launched

2010

Census of Population and Housing

2013

Household Expenditure Survey/Poverty Survey

2015

Leona Wilson Appointed Acting Director (October)