Reconceptualizing social indicators in the Caribbean: a review and discussion

This document discusses the relevance, strengths and limitations of social indicators. Difficulties encountered in the analysis of such data in the Caribbean are identified and discussed. Issues related to the availability of social data for social planning and the implementation of programmes and projects are also explored.…

Capital flows to Latin America: second quarter 2004

During the second quarter, the prospect of an unexpected U.S. interest rate increase weakened investors' appetite for risk, and capital flows to Latin America faded in response. Latin American spreads increased by 71 basis points during the quarter, up to 607 bps at the end of June, from 536 bps at the end of March. Quarterly issuance in Latin America also suffered, dropping to US$4.7 billion, a level not seen since the last quarter of 2002. As a result, Latin America moved behind Eastern Europe, which issued US$6.3 billion or 39% of total emerging market issuance, compared to 29% for L…

Mobile phone signals assist Caribbean in containing spread of Chikungunya

Information generated from mobile phones can be successfully used to contain the spread of non-communicable diseases, as was recently done to stem the spread of the Chikungunya virus in the Caribbean. This opportunity was explained in the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently published report titled “An assessment of big data for official statistics in the Caribbean”. The report notes that the use of big data through geospatial (or location) information was used to support healthcare, and to design social intervention measures to address …

Capital flows to Latin America: third quarter 2004

In the third quarter of 2004, the positive interaction of external and domestic factors in the Latin American region created a favorable environment for capital inflows. Among the external factors, an unprecedented amount of global liquidity, combined with an environment of low risk-free rates and a search for yield, was one of the main driving forces in the third quarter. Liquidity and low rates benefited not only emerging market debt, but all risky assets, which have become highly correlated among themselves. However, in the case of emerging markets, and Latin American markets in particular,…

Report on the production of trade statistics in the Caribbean region

Summary 1. The statistics offices in the region utilize state of the art technology for processing their trade data, and report producing statistics on a regular basis. The periods of publications are monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, annually, and semi-annually, but vary amongst countries. 2. The warrants presented by importers and exporters to the customs departments for the clearance of goods is the main source of trade data in each country. After checking and processing, a copy of the warrants is placed in batches and forwarded to the statistics office, usually on a monthly basis. In some co…

Overcoming gender data gaps in the Caribbean to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs

The objective of these workshops is to promote the use of gender statistics for policymaking to ensure that no women and girls are left behind, in keeping with the commitments set out in the Regional Gender Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus of these workshops will be on mapping existing data and identifying gaps in the production of gender statistics, and providing recommendations regarding the production, development, systematisation and dissemination of statistical information and gender-sensitive indicators.…

Statistical capacity of more than 20 Caribbean countries to be strengthened

Statisticians from the statistical offices of over twenty Caribbean countries and overseas territories will soon be equipped with increased capacity in census planning, management and implementation. A four-day workshop organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in collaboration with the Secretariat for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), will take place in Kingston, Jamaica, from 8 to 11 April 2019. Caribbean statistical offices will be carrying out population and housing censuses between 2020 and 2022…

Capital flows to Latin America: first quarter 2005

Latin American markets entered 2005 with impetus, as the favorable environment for capital inflows at the end of 2004 persisted in the beginning of the year. However, investors' sentiment deteriorated as the first quarter progressed, and concerns about economic conditions (including rising interest rates in the United States and lower liquidity in global markets) increased. In February, Fitch, the credit rating agency, released a report warning that a combination of slowing global growth and higher-than-anticipated U.S. interest rates would lead to a less favorable environment for emergin…

Capital flows to Latin America: 2004 highlights

Investors expect a strong finish for emerging markets this year, as market environment remains supportive of credit products, especially those with strong fundamentals and interesting yields, which is the case for emerging markets. Since the start of the year there were two sets of forces driving emerging markets debt: global liquidity and fundamental credit improvements. To a large degree, improving credit quality has itself been the result of ample global liquidity and the low interest-rate environment. Against this backdrop, spreads reached record low levels and issuance was boosted. The we…

CARIBTRADE, trade statistics database: user manual

Describes the Caribbean Trade Statistics Database, explaining the reasons for its creation. Identifies its functions and capabilities. Outlines the process of design, listing the design considerations. Provides detailed instructions for navigation of the system. Presents an overview of the current content of the database. Provides a reference guide of terms used in the analysis of trade indicators.…

ECLAC looks to expand access to data from 2010 and 2020 census

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is seeking to expand public access to data from the 2010 round of population and housing censuses. These efforts will also provide a sound basis for a more rapid and effective dissemination of data from the upcoming 2020 round of censuses. In the long term, improved online access to these data sources will encourage their use in research, development planning and evidence-based policymaking. Online access to census data sets is provided through the REDATAM (REtrieval of DATa for small Areas by Microcomputer) software. RED…

Capital flows to Latin America: third quarter 2002

Brazil's electoral outlook and the external backdrop were the main drivers of Latin American credits in the third quarter of 2002, thus the performance of Latin American markets continued to be pressured by Brazil's fate and the ebb and flow of investors' risk appetite. The region had a rare month of outperformance in August, as the prompt negotiation of an IMF agreement for Brazil and the moderation of global risk aversion brought strong returns for Brazil, in particular, and for countries considered high-risks in general. However, risk aversion peaked again in September, retur…

Economic survey of the Caribbean, 2007-2008

This survey provides an overview of the economic performance of countries of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) for the year 2007 and their outlook for 2008. The report consists of three chapters. The first chapter provides a regional analysis of the main economic indicators from a comparative perspective starting with a brief discussion of the principal events in the world economy. The second chapter deals with two selected topics that are pivotal for the economic development of Caribbean countries, namely public debt sustainability and competitiveness in the tourism s…

Selected statistical indicators of Caribbean countries, vol. XVI, 2003

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean and Secretariat to the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC), is pleased to present the seventeenth volume of the Selected Statistical Indicators of Caribbean Countries (SSI). This publication represents a compilation of original nationally produced and officially published statistics on select indicators for the year 2003. Where available, 2004 and 2005 figures have been included. The aim of the SSI is to serve as a single source of Caribbean statistics on national…

Economic profiles of Caribbean countries

Introduction With its programme of assistance to the Caribbean, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean has prepared these economic profiles for 26 independent and non-independent countries of the Caribbean subregion. These countries are: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the G…

Regional seminar on time use surveys

AS part of its ongoing work in the Caribbean, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has responded to requests from member and associate member states for statistical capacity training in the core elements of Time Use Surveys. The training will offer a forum for sensitizing participants on the value of Time Use Surveys, and will facilitate the use of Time Use Surveys for measuring all forms of work – especially women’s activities. The initiative will complement ECLAC’s ongoing efforts to build greater capacity in the compilation of gender statistics and in the…

Breaking the statistical silence to achieve gender equality by 2030: implementing the Information Systems Pillar of the Montevideo Strategy for the implementation of the Regional Gender Agenda within the sustainable development framework by 2030

ECLAC Development of official statistics in the region. Report of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean on the development of official statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean

Report of the Twenty-first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Statistical Conference of the Americas of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Annotated provisional agenda. Twenty-first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Statistical Conference of the Americas of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean