The observance of this day is intended to raise the profile of statistics, to commend statisticians in our community and the region and, most importantly, to emphasize the key role that statistics will play in the future development of Country St. Maarten.An example of the importance of statistics can be realized when we consider the censuses and other surveys that are conducted. From each census we obtain statistical information such as the composition of households on our island, and the average incomes of those households. We can then evaluate how those numbers compare to previous years, and thereby determine whether and to what extent the size of our population is changing, and also determine how the economic circumstances of our people are changing.
We as government remain committed to further strengthening our statistical capabilities by continued investment in our physical and human resources at our statistical office, and I encourage all citizens to play their role in supporting the continued development of statistics on St. Maarten in every way possible, and especially by fully cooperating and actively participating whenever a census and other sample-surveys are taken on our Island.
In this way each and every one of will have done our part in ensuring that this year's theme is realized. That theme is:
"Working Together to Improve Statistics in the 21st Century and Beyond"
