Bureau of Statistics, Guyana

The Bureau was established as a department in 1957, but prior to this, the collection and publication of statistics was decentralised and assigned to a few key government departments. In the early 1940s the then Sugar Producer's Association was responsible for the compilation of sugar statistics, the Agriculture Department for statistics on rice and the remainder of the agricultural sector, the then Public Works Department was responsible for statistics on wages and the Customs Department was in charge of Trade Statistics. An Act of Parliament in October 1990 incorporated the Bureau of Statistics (BoS) as a semi-autonomous body, outside the purview of the traditional Public Service. The functions of the Bureau, which has since 1965 become systemized, are set out in section 4 (1) of the Bureau of Statistics Act No 25 of 1991 and the Statistical Bureau Act Cap 19.09 and can be summed up as follows: Conduct censuses; Collect, compile, analyse, and publish socio-economic and other statistical data; Collaborate with other Government departments in collecting, compiling, analysing and publishing statistics derived from administrative records; Organise a co-ordinated scheme of social and economic statistics for Guyana. The Bureau is the main co-ordinator and producer of economic statistics, including national accounts. The main data on population, economic and social conditions of households stem from censuses and surveys. The Bureau is recognised as the central authority on statistics in this country, and is often requested to advise and assist ministries and private/public sector organisations on statistical matters, and is the obvious member of the Guyana team for reviews of the IMF structural adjustment programmes and similar activities.