Roadtown, Tortola - Government is finalising preparations for the second annual Establishment Survey, which will be conducted by the Development Planning Unit (DPU).

The survey, scheduled to begin June 1, is part of an ongoing effort to improve the collection of economic data to better inform Government’s policy-making processes and the private sector’s investment and growth decisions.

The sample survey will target public and private businesses and agencies existing in the Territory to secure statistics relating to their operations, such as income, expenditure, and inventory for the financial year 2007.  

The first Establishment Survey was conducted in 2008 and collected similar information from businesses based on activities during the 2006 financial year.  This year, the survey will be on a smaller scale with a sample size of 262 businesses. 

Acting Director of the DPU, Ms. Patlian Johnson is seeking the cooperation of the operators of business establishments who will be invited to take part in the upcoming survey, which should be completed by August 31, 2009.

Ms. Johnson also pledged the department’s unfailing commitment to maintaining strict confidentiality. “We will keep all information in the strictest confidence as mandated by law. All procedures used will be in strict adherence to the Statistical Act of 2005, as well as regional and international standards,” she said.

The DPU is currently compiling and processing data from last year’s survey questionnaires.  Once collated, the data will be used to update the Territory’s accounting statistics database, which measures the economic performance of various sectors of the local economy.  Preliminary results will be available by the end of September 2009. 

As the DPU finalises preparations for the upcoming survey, Ms. Patlian Johnson expressed deep gratitude to all the establishments that participated in the first Establishment Survey. 

“The completion of questionnaires by the establishments has ensured that more accurate information on the economy of the Virgin Islands is available for policymakers, the private sector, and the general public,” she told the Department of Information and Public Relations. 

The DPU is responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive and accurate statistics and economic database providing information and analysis to guide the socio-economic development planning process and provide statistical and economic analysis of the local economy, among other duties. The unit provides a wide range of services to Government and non-Government organisations. It functions under the umbrella of the Premier’s Office.