CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC -Delegates attending the fifth meeting of the Regional Data Governance Council (RDGC) have reached an agreement on a coordinated work program, as well as commitments to strengthen data harmonization and privacy protection, while reinforcing partnerships between the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and development partners.
In addition, the meeting developed a comprehensive communication and advocacy strategy to support greater use of statistical data across the region.
A statement issued Monday by the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission said that the four-day meeting, which ended Friday, brought together the directors of Statistics from OECS member states, regional institutions, and international development partners to strengthen collaboration, enhance statistical capacity, and reinforce data-driven decision-making across the region.
RDGC chairperson, Corneil Williams, said that the meeting underscored the significance of data governance to advancing sustainable development in the OECS.
OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules, reiterated the sub-regional grouping’s commitment to strengthening statistical systems as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking.
“We are effectively seeking to build a culture of data for development. Technology and systems alone will not suffice. Transformation lies in mindset, in creating a culture of data use and trust. We must commit to and train our people to collect, interpret, and act on data. The RDGC must continue to champion coherence, avoid duplication, and turn national initiatives into regional strengths.
“Integration is not only about treaties, it is about shared understanding. Data gives us that understanding, allowing us to speak the same language of facts, see through the same lens of evidence, and act with conviction of purpose. Let this fifth meeting mark a shift from data collection to data conviction, from information to insight, and from insight to impact.”
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) representative, Elbert Ellis, reaffirmed the bank’s partnership in advancing regional initiatives, including the Enhanced Country Poverty Assessment (eCPA).
He said that the Barbados-based regional financial institution has long recognized that strong data systems are foundational to sustainable development. He said that through the eCPA program, CDB continues to serve as a strategic partner in supporting the data for decision-making project.
“Our shared objective is simple but powerful: to ensure that every member state has the capacity, tools, and governance frameworks needed to generate reliable data that can be transformed into actionable interventions to support sustainable development. The ultimate goal is to create a culture of evidence-based policymaking across the region.”
Ellis said that under this partnership, the CDB has provided both technical and financial support to advance data governance, strengthen institutional frameworks, and promote the use of modern technologies in data management and dissemination.
“We see this as part of our broader mandate to enhance development effectiveness across the Caribbean.”
For her part, Anna Luisa Paffhausen of the World Bank underscored the collaboration with the OECS through the Data for Decision Making (DDM) project.
“Looking ahead, we hope that the RDGC will also decide shortly on the procedures and requirements for making the anonymized data accessible via the OECS Micro Data Catalogue. This will be an important milestone in promoting data-driven decision-making across member countries.”
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