Bureau of Statistics gets new home at former ‘Customs House’

The Bureau of Statistics now has a permanent home at the Main and Hope Streets, Georgetown building that once housed The Guyana Revenue Authority’s Customs and Excise Department.

President David Granger during his address at the commissioning ceremony today said Guyana must preserve the culture which pays attention to the importance of data collection, generation, storage, and retrieval. He highlighted the need for emphasis to be placed on the vital importance which statistics play in decision making and policy formulation.

Pledging his Government’s commitment to strengthening the role and function of the Bureau, the Head of State said planning units would be established in all the ministries. The Head of State noted that “the bureau must spread the data collection culture throughout the public service, we need to establish a planning unit in each of our 15 ministries, we are committed to institutional strengthening by providing more training and recruiting staff to work in the bureau and to work in the statistical units in the various ministries.”

Finance Minister Winston Jordan while acknowledging the importance of statistical data, pointed to the need for the modernization of the Bureau of Statistics. He noted that changes are occurring even more rapidly creating a greater demand for the foundations to be laid in economic, social, and natural resource management.

These requirements Minister Jordan pointed out, place a greater demand on the statistical agency, therefore modernization and transformation of the Bureau are essential if Guyana is to meet these development objectives.

Chief statistician, Lennox Benjamin described the achievement as a milestone that will evolve the work of the bureau. His service over the years was commended by President Granger.

A token of appreciation was given to Benjamin who worked with the agency for some 43 years; others who served for a number of years also received tokens.