Cayman’s first numbers week

(CNS): Joining 99 countries in the promotion of the importance of numbers, the Cayman Islands will hold its first annual Statistics Week between 1 – 7 February. The purpose is to promote people’s awareness of statistics and their value, and to encourage them to support statistics and provide data; to promote the use of statistics; to bring together users and producers of statistics; and to improve relationships between statistical authorities and the media.

Run by the Economics and Statistics Office (ESO) to meet objectives set in 1997 by the UN Statistical Commission, during the week there will be presentations to all grade 11 students, a programme for senior citizens at the Pines Retirement Home, training for government departments, radio interviews and a special GIS Spotlight production.

Jurisdictions around the globe, including most of the Caribbean Islands, will celebrate statistics days, weeks or months at various times throughout the year. Cayman will contribute to these international events next week, under the slogan "Statistics: Providing Information to Guide the Nation", which was selected following an internal competition in the Economic and Statistics Office.

“We have started  networking with the private sector during the past few years and now want to reach out to island youth, government employees and senior citizens, as reflected in our programs for the week,” said ESO Director Maria Zingapan.

“We hope todemonstrate the important role that statistics play in our lives, particularly the value they provide in planning for the future of our young people.”

The week will begin on Sunday with an 11:00am service at the Church of God on Walkers Road. School presentations, including one at UCCI, will take place on 2 and 3 February. On the following two days, government training for employees who use statistics will be held at the ESO’s Elizabethan Square offices.  A special community project for senior citizens is also slated for 4 February during the late afternoon at the Pines Retirement Home. The week will end with an ESO staff development workshop, and an employee appreciation and awards ceremony on 6 February.

The public will have a chance tolisten to a number of topical discussions on Radio Cayman throughout the week, beginning on Monday with Morning Scoop at 7:20 am.   Programming focusing on Statistics Week will also be available at l pm, Tuesday and Thursday, on the Talk Today show.  

More information on Statistics Week, and links to information on other jurisdictions can be found on the ESO website at www.eso.ky.