Criteria for the efficient coordination of the activities for data collection and the design of instruments for mapping and data collection applicable to countries of the Caribbean

The paper highlights the importance of good economic and social data to measure the change in the economy and the society in the light of external stimuli. It also highlights the need for governments to base policy decisions on good data. The paper discusses the issues of design and coordination of data collection mechanisms in a manner that optimizes the limited resources available for data collection and ensures that the data collected fit into an information mosaic that enables planning. To the extent that knowledge of self is the first step towards self-actualization, the success of any self-development paradigm will depend on the content of the data and information that are input into the development plan.