DPU Makes Final Appeal to BVI Businesses to Complete Survey

~~Adz:Right~~Thursday, December 18 – With year end fast approaching, the Development Planning Unit is making a final appeal to business owners and operators to complete the Establishment Survey.

The deadline for the survey which started in April this year was extended to December 31 to allow the 744 businesses surveyed additional time to complete the questionnaire.

The objective is to capture information on expenditure, revenue and other areas from local business establishments, in an attempt to measure the performance of various economic sectors.

Acting Director of the DPU Ms. Patlian Johnson told the Department of Information and Public Relations that “to date, there have been 231 respondents which represents only 31 percent of the 744 companies sampled.”

She is urging business owners and operators to use the extended deadline to complete the survey. Ms. Johnson further stated that while the questionnaire seeks to collate information usually found in financial statements, businesses which are not up to date with theirs can utilise approximations.

The Acting DPU Director noted too that businesses can request the assistance of department officials if necessary and reiterated the willingness of DPU’s staff to “go to the person’s place of business and assist them in actually completing the questionnaire.”

Addressing the fears of those concerned about the confidentiality of the information provided, Ms. Johnson said the department is DPU is taking measures to ensure that “information is kept confidential by limiting the review of questionnaires to senior officers, destroying the questionnaires or returning them to the establishment after the data is recorded and publishing data by sector therefore individual establishments cannot be identified.”

The information gathered through the Establishment Survey is important for the formation of Government policy, particularly in light of the downturn in the global economy and the potential impact on the BVI. The data collected will also enable better informed private sector investment decisions.

The Development Planning Unit is responsible for acquiring and analysing statistics to facilitate economic planning and analysis. The unit functions under the umbrella of the Premier’s Office.