FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SIB CONCLUDES PEER REVIEW MISSION, AFFIRMS REGIONAL LEADERSHIP IN STATISTICAL QUALITY

BELMOPAN CITY, BELIZE, May 19, 2025 – The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) has successfully concluded a pilot peer review mission, held from May 12 to 16, 2025, led by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat’s Regional Statistics Programme (RSP). This was the second in a series of peer reviews being conducted under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Strengthening the Framework for CARICOM Integration and Cooperation Process Programme (SFCICPP) to pilot the newly developed system for conducting peer reviews of CARICOM national statistical offices.

The peer review team was composed of senior staff from the national statistical offices of the Bahamas and Jamaica, along with a representative from the CARICOM Secretariat. Over the course of the week, the review team engaged with SIB’s management, technical staff, administrative and support staff, and key stakeholders of Belize’s National Statistical System (NSS) to evaluate the extent to which the Institute and the wider statistical system adhere to the principles of the CARICOM Code of Good Statistical Practices (CGSP).

The CGSP outlines 15 core principles designed to guide national statistical offices in producing high-quality, trustworthy, and independent official statistics. These principles address three main areas: (1) Institutional environment – ensuring professional independence, legal authority, and adequate resources; (2) Statistical processes – promoting methodological soundness, efficiency, confidentiality, and quality assurance; and (3) Statistical outputs – emphasizing relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, and comparability. The CGSP serves as a benchmark for strengthening statistical systems, promoting regional harmonization, and building public trust in official data across CARICOM Member States.

Initial findings confirmed SIB’s strong commitment to producing quality statistics through methodological improvements and innovation. The review team also noted that further progress could be achieved through strengthened statistical legislation and enhanced inter-agency coordination. A comprehensive report with specific recommendations and timelines will be delivered to the SIB in the coming weeks. The recommendations come at an opportune time, as the Institute prepares to develop its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, which will incorporate the peer review findings to strengthen alignment with regional and international standards.

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For more information, please contact:

Javier Romero
Communications and Marketing Officer
Statistical Institute of Belize
jromero@mail.sib.org.bz
+501 822 2207 ext. 209