Statin to modernise data collection, hire more professionals
Published:Friday | October 4, 2024 | 12:06 AM
Statistical Institute of Jamaica, the premier body for economic data, is hiring a raft of analytical professionals, while it modernises the agency.
A quarter of the job positions at Statin are vacant at a time where data needs are rising, the agency noted in its hunt for a consultant to assist with its restructuring.
“There are currently 400 posts on Statin’s establishment, 344 of which are budgeted and 260 filled,” the tender document noted.
Improvements to the professional and non-professional staff ratio are required, particularly as several work processes have become more technology-enabled, it said.
“The shift has resulted in a decreased demand for clerical, routine jobs and, conversely, the need for more analytical and knowledge-based jobs,” Statin noted.
The agency’s shortcomings are encapsulated in a review titled ‘The Modernisation of Statin — A Strategic Plan 2020-2025’. Concerns raised within it include the inability to keep pace of the changes in the society. Some concern was also expressed about the “quality and lack of coordination in compiling national statistical data”, particularly statistics in the social sector.
“It was, therefore, imperative that Statin be modernised to respond to the demands for change,” the tender document noted.
The reorganisation of the agency aims to streamline data production and enhance decision-making across both Jamaica’s public and private sectors. Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke did not respond to requests for comment about the plans for Statin.
The statistical agency was set in 1984 as the official centre for the compilation of data on the economy. Statin’s modernisation comes as the institute is going through a leadership transition, its director general, Carol Coy, having retired on August 31 of this year.
There is no indication yet as to who will replace Coy at the helm. Deputy Director General Leesha Delatie-Budair is acting in the position.
The tender indicated that the reorganisation comes amid mounting pressure for Statin to align with international standards and produce more up-to-date data. Presently, the institute’s economic reports lag up to six months, whereas its sister agency, the Planning Institute of Jamaica, releases data within a three-month window. Statin’s restructuring will focus on closing this gap.
The modernisation effort will create roles designed to utilise advanced statistical technologies, further reducing delays. Statin’s restructuring process will also involve filling jobs that are “output-focused job descriptions” to better define roles and responsibilities within the new organisational structure.
In addition to addressing staffing, the overhaul will place significant emphasis on technology upgrades and process optimisation aimed at dramatically improving the timeliness for its published reports.