ROAD TOWN, Tortola, BVI, March 26, 2011 - However, it appears from the 2010 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) meeting before the VI House of Assembly that what the DPU can offer to the public is very limited and dependant on many different factors, including departments’ and other agencies’ ability to provide the information in a timely manner with the need for a “simple” automated database cited a one of the solutions.
During their appearance before the Parliamentary SFC, the Minister for Communications and Works Julian Fraser RA, enquired about the performance of the unit in terms of acquiring current statistics on the number of tourist arrivals into the VI, types of tourist, places of origin, and their arrivals. Minister Fraser told the committee “that the airport would be able to conduct proper planning with that type of information”.
However, the Director of the Development Planning Unit (DDPU) Raymond Phillips in his response stated that, “as it related to providing current tourism figures, there would be a month lag with respect to the number of visitors, which would be sent to the Tourist Board, as it related to places of origin it would not be provided more timely because it was a function of the Tourist Board which processed that information and then provided it to the department.”
But the Communications and Works Minister stated that, “statistical information was important and for the country to plan properly, the right information needed to be provided to the department from other departments in a timely manner.”
The DDPU in his response to the third term MP representing the third electoral district on the main Island of Tortola, stated that, “the data was provided to the department in paper form”, but said, “if it was provided in an automated form, it would be more readily available”. Phillips also stated that there was a need for more staff in his department.
Furthermore, the Member for the Fourth District Honourable Vincent Scatliffe MD, enquired about the effectiveness of the unit in terms of social statistics for an expanding population.
Mr. Phillips in his response at the deliberations stated that, “the unit depended on other departments for information and that there was a need for a simple automated database to be established in all departments by the Department of Information Technology in order to produce information on a timely basis”.
According to Phillips, who was confirmed to his post in 2008, a country data sheet was produced which indicated how the country was going and also a demographic data sheet was produced, but given the staff size, it proved difficult to be done
However, no new posts were approved in the 2011 Budget Estimates for the DPU, but it is unclear whether the situation continues.
Article taken from Virgin Islands News Online - http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com
