Why does Mauritius needgood statistics ?

Central Statistics OfficeLIC Centre - John Kennedy Street - Port Louis - MAURITIUSTel.: 212 2316 - Fax: 211 4150 - Email: cso@mail.gov.mu

Website: http://statsmauritius.gov.mu

YYear 1 1969622 YYear 2006 YYear 2 2040466

Better use of better national statistics leads to better Government policies and better development progress which benefits our people.

The likely success of Government policies is greatly increased by the use of statistics. Statistics allow our Govern-ment to carry out thorough analysis of complex social and economic issues, to make appropriate policy choices and to monitor and adjust government policies in order to achieve maximum impact over time.

Good statistics also improve the transparency and accountability of policy-making.

Good statistics enable our people to judge the success of Government policies and to hold Government account-able for its policies. Government is committed to the free flow of information to enable the public to be well informed in order to participate in national development and consolidate democracy.

Perhaps the most valuable contribution that statistics can make is to help ensure that our limited resources are used in the best way.

Investment in statistics will pay for itself many times over by improving how resources are allocated. Statistics highlight where resources are needed and what impact those resources have had.

Good statistics are essential to paint an objective picture of a

country’s economic and social condition. Good statistics allow com-

parisons with other countries and are the key to effective policy-

making. Official statistics are essential in indicating those people and

regions in greatest need, and best use of scarce resources in

improving health, housing and education.

WHY DOES MAURITIUS NEED GOOD STATISTICS ?

2

In 2006, Government launched a comprehensive and deep reform programme aimed at transforming the country into a competitive and resilient economy and widening opportunities for all. The 2006-07 Budget aimed at “secur-ing the transition from trade preferences to global competition”. The 2007-08 Budget continued “consolidating the transition and securing full employment”. In 2008, Government moved to a Programme-Based Budget (PBB) for 2008-09 with indicative estimates up to December 2010, geared towards “sustainable economic growth, increas-ing quality of life and strengthening nationhood”. This programme requires statistics to help design policies, provide baseline information and track progress.

Objectives and indicators will be monitored and will be used in the budget discussion processes, reviews of Government programmes and partnership strategies developed with development partners. But data for many of the key indicators to track progress on specific programmes still need to be developed. Much more remains to be done to develop our statistics.

Our development partners also need statistics and indicators to monitor performance in areas which they are supporting and to have confidence in our policies and their implementation.

WHY NOW ?

Hon. Rama SithanenDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development

Opening speech, Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Design

of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics,

14 December 2006

Deputy Pr

of the

“It cannot be over-emphasized that statistical information and investment in its production and management have become too important for any gov-

ernment and society to ignore without serious consequences…”

3

Our information needs can best be met by a well-planned and well-coordinated National Statistical System (NSS).

The NSS includes users of statistics, who create the demand for statistics, as well as the producers of statistics.

The coverage of the NSS will be as broad as possible for maximum coordination and cooperation in aligning the demand for statistics and supply of statistics. Its coverage includes the range of national data needs right down to the local area level as well as international data needs.

In Mauritius, the NSS comprises the Central Statistics Office (CSO), statistical units in line ministries including Education, Health, Social Security, Agriculture, Environment and Labour, and other agencies and departments including the Bank of Mauritius, the Police, the Judiciary, local authorities and the University of Mauritius.

The NSS is focused on user needs and is being integrated into Government’s “Policy and Strategy Development for Economic Growth and Social Progress” as well as sector strategies currently being developed.

Coordination is currently assured by the Director of Statistics through The Statistics Act 2000, statistical units in line ministries and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between the Central Statistics Office and other agencies.

SO MAURITIUS NEEDS GOOD STATISTICS.HOW BEST CAN WE ORGANISE THEM ?

4

Producers

Users

Suppliers

Research &training centres

CentralStatistics

Office(hub and

coordinator of NSS)

Households, enterprises,Government departments, Other agencies, Local authorities

UOM, CASR,MRC, BOM

Central and local GovernmentPrivate sector, media, citizens,Research and training institutions

University of Mauritius (UOM),Centre for Applied Social

Research (CASR),Mauritius Research Council (MRC),

Bank of Mauritius (BOM)

Ministry of Health& Quality of Life, Rodrigues

Regional Assembly

The National Statistical System (NSS) in Mauritius

Production, management, use of statistics

Strategic planning can:

� Address data limitations; � �������������� ������������������������� ������� ���������� ����� ����������������������������������������� ������� ������������������ ��������� ����������� ��������� ���� �� ��� � � � and international statistical programmes and for donor support to those programmes;� ���������� �� ������ ������� ���� ��� � ����!������� ��� ����"��� �� �� � ���������� ���#

The National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) has contributed to the preparedness of the NSS to satisfy the medium term data needs of policy makers. Streamlining of activities within the CSO has liberated resources for more analytical work, particularly in areas of immediate concern such as poverty alleviation and targeting of social assistance. Statistics are being integrated in sector strategies to generate performance indica-tors for programme-based budgeting (e.g. Justice and security, Environment, Health, Education). Coordination is being reinforced through a dedicated unit and statistical units within ministries as well as Memoranda of Under-standing (e.g. with Bank of Mauritius). A comprehensive training programme on official statistics is being imple-mented with the assistance of the University of Mauritius. A performance monitoring system is already in place within the CSO and is being fine-tuned for merit-based reward and promotion.

The strategic plan will be regularly updated and extended for continuous improvement of statistical activities across the NSS.

HOW CAN STRATEGIC PLANNING HELP ?

5

Month Topic Period coveredDate postedon website

January Consumer Price Index Year 2008 20.01.09

FebruraryConstruction Price Index 4th Quarter 2008 10.02.09

International Travel & Tourism Year 2008 18.02.09

March

External Trade 4th Quarter 2008 03.03.09

Population & Vital Statistics Year 2008 04.03.09

Producer Price Index - Agriculture 4th Quarter 2008 05.03.09

Road Transport and Road Traffic Accident Statistics

(Island of Mauritius)Year 2008 18.03.09

Agriculture and Fish Production Year 2008 19.03.09

Export Oriented Enterprises 4th Quarter 2008 23.03.09

Producer Price Index - Manufacturing 4th Quarter 2008 25.03.09

Labour force, Employment and Unemployment

(based on the results of Continious Milti-Purpose

Household Survey)

4th Quarter 2008 25.03.09

Import and Export Price Indices 4th Quarter 2008 26.03.09

Quarterly Index of Industrial Production (QIIP) 4th Quarter 2008 30.03.09

National Accounts Estimates, March 2009 Issue 2006 - 2009 31.03.09

Quarterly National Accounts 4th Quarter 2008 31.03.09

December

External Trade 3rd Quarter 2009 01.12.09

Producer Price Index - Agriculture 3rd Quarter 2009 03.12.09

Export Oriented Enterprises 3rd Quarter 2009 16.12.09

Producer Price Index - Manufacturing 3rd Quarter 2009 18.12.09

Import and Export Price Indices 3rd Quarter 2009 18.12.09

Quarterly Index of Industrial Production (QIIP) 3rd Quarter 2009 24.12.09

Labour force, Employment and Unemployment

(based on the results of Continious Milti-Purpose

Household Survey)

3rd Quarter 2009 28.12.09

National Accounts Estimates, December 2009 Issue 2006 - 2009 31.12.09

Quarterly National Accounts 3rd Quarter 2009 31.12.09

PUBLICATION PROGRAMMEYEAR 2009

00

4t44tth

grriciculu turee

prisesess

ex - MMaanufaaccctu

ort Prriice e Indiccececes

dex of IIndndustriaall l P

foforce, EmEmploymmememe

ed oon the reesultss ooo

oouusehehold Survrveye )

NNatioonal Accocouunts EEs

Quuaarterly NaNatit onal

Quarterly Nati

ce Index - A

Oriented Ente

ducer Price In

Import and Ex

Quarterly In

Labour

(base

Ho

Import

Quarterly Index of In

National Accounts Estimates, March 2009 Issue

Quarterly Nationonalal A Accounts

06 - 2202 0622220

a

3.09

08

rter

3 0926.0033 0

er 2

09

25.03

2008

rt

03.09

008

arte

03.09

30.03.09rter 2008

03.096.03

teer 20008

Mauritius enjoys a relatively high level of statistical awareness. Most stakeholders as well as the media look forward to the regular, periodic release of economic and social statistics, particularly on economic growth, unemployment and inflation. These data are used every year to determine the quantum of salary compensation. Poverty and income statistics play an important role in determining policies relating to social aid, whilst NGOs use mapping of local area relative development indices, based on census data, for poverty alleviation initiatives. Data from the Census of Economic Activities are used by the National Empowerment Foundation and Enterprise Mauritius to develop and promote programmes for small and medium enterprises. Population estimates for local authority areas are the basis for allocation of financial grants by Central Government.

The Central Bank uses inflation as well as statistics of exports and imports among others, to inform decisions of the Monetary Policy Committee. The CSO participates actively in developing performance indicators and targets which are used by development partners such as the World Bank and the European Union for release of funds for budget support. As from 2009 the CSO will be more and more involved in measuring the satisfaction of users of services of various ministries and agencies.

USE OF STATISTICS IN MAURITIUS

6

Goals Indicators Data source / survey 1990 2000 2005 2006 2007

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Proportion of population below $1 per day (%) CSO 1 (Household Budget Survey) <1%2

Growth rate of GDP per person employed (%) CSO (Labour & National Ac-counts Statistics) 4.3 9.2 1.7 3.4 3.7

Achieve universal primary education

Net enrolment ratio in primary education (%) CSO (Survey in schools) 99 97 97 97 96

Literacy rate of 15 - 24 years old, women and men (%)

CSO (Population Census)91.2 94.5 n.a n.a n.a

Men 90.7 93.7 n.a n.a n.a

Women 91.7 95.4 n.a n.a n.a

Promote genderequality andempower women

Ratio of girls to boys (%) (Number of girls per 100 boys)

Primary CSO (Survey in schools) 97.7 96.8 97.0 96.8 96.7Secondary CSO (Survey in schools) 99.7 101.3 103.2 103.3 103.5

Tertiary Tertiary Education Com -mission n.a 116.4 103.1 113.4 133.6

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament (%)

Electoral Commissioner’s Office 7.1 6.1 17.1 17.1 17.1

Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector (%)

CSO (Continuous Multipur-pose Household Survey) 34.1 37.7 34.9 35.7 35.8

Reduce child mortality

Under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) MOHQL4 23.1 18.2 15.8 16.9 17.1Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) CSO 20.4 15.9 13.2 14.1 15.3

Improve maternal health

Maternal mortality ratio (100,000 live births) MOHQL 66 20 21 17 36

Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (%) MOHQL 91.1 99.7 99.2 99.5 99.4

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

HIV prevalence among population aged 15 - 24 years (%) MOHQL n.a 0.01 0.14 0.15 0.15

Incidence of malaria (per 100,000 population) MOHQL 5.1 5.2 2.9 3.0 3.3

Ensure environ -mental sustain -ability

Consumption of ozone depleting CFCs (metric tons) CSO n.a 19.26 0.00 5 0.00 5 0.00 5

Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water source (%)

Central Water Authority / CSO (Housing Census) 95.7 98.9 > 99 > 99 > 99

Develop Global Partnership for Development

Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services (%) (year ending 30 June) Bank of Mauritius 9.9 8.9 6.5 8.3 5.4

Fixed line telephone subscribers per 100 popu-lation

CSO / Information and Com-munication Technologies Authority

7.2 22.0 28.6 28.4 28.6

3

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

1 - Central Statistics Office2 - Based on the past three Household Budget Survey data 1996/97, 2001/02 and 2006/07, less than 1% of the total population was found below $1 (purchasing power parity per day) 3 - n.a not available4 - Ministry of Health & Quality of Life5 - Negligible

7

OTHER KEY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STATISTICS

8

SOURCE UNIT 2000 2006 2007 2008

POPULATION

Total PopulationCSO

000 1,186.9 1,252.7 1,260.4 1,268.6

Population Growth Rate % 1.09 0.66 0.65 0.57

LABOUR

Unemployment Rate CSO % 6.5 9.1 8.5 7.2

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL

GDP Per Capita at Market Prices

CSO

MRU1

000 101.3 164.7 186.8 208.6

Growth of GDP (basic prices) % over previ-ous year % +9.7 +5.1 +5.4 +5.3

Investment Rate % 22.9 24.3 25.1 24.5

Rate of Inflation % 4.2 8.9 8.8 9.7

Net International Reserves (end June)

Bank of Mauritius

MRU(bn) 25.2 64.7 83.5 83.9

Foreign Directinvestment in Mauritius

MRU(mn)

7,265 7,222 11,514 11,419

EXCHANGE & INTEREST RATES

US$ (Average of buying & selling for the year) Commercial Bank MRU 26.26 31.15 31.37 28.36

Bank Rate (End June)Bank of Mauritius

% 10.65 7.30 10.98 7.45

Interest Rates on Savings (end June) % 6.50-8.50 5.70-6.27 7.20-7.60 6.25-7.25

STOCK MARKETS

Market Indices - SEM-7 (March 1998=100)Stock Exchange of

Mauritius

End of year 94.7 264.4 477.4 267.2

- SEMDEX (5 July 1989=100) End of year 390.1 1,204.5 1,852.2 1,182.7

- SEMTRI (5 July 1989=100) End of year 650.7 3,060.7 4,868.6 3,233.7

POVERTY 2001/02 2006/07

Proportion of Poor 2 Persons CSO / Household Budget Survey

% 7.8 8.5

1 - MRU : Mauritius Rupee2 - Persons living below the relative poverty line which is based on half the median of monthly household income adjusted for household size and age composition as well as for economies of scale. Upon using this line, a one-person household was found to be poor if its monthly income resources fell below MRU 2,804 in 2001/02 and MRU 3,821 in 2006/07

Better use of better statistics leads to better policy and better development outcomes.

The NSDS has been overtaken by reforms which are aimed at achieving many of the objectives of NSDS e.g. autonomy for independence and operational flexibility. Programme-based budgeting, with its emphasis on performance indicators and performance targets has put statistics in the national policy processes.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Empowerment has undertaken to provide resources on a needs basis to support the provision of statistics in general (including Census 2010) and for monitoring the PBB in particular. It has also allocated funds for capacity building under two programmes which CSO is tapping.

The CSO is also being assisted by development partners through technical assistance in specific areas such as poverty analysis and mapping, compilation of Social Accounting Matrices, Environment Economic Accounts and Tourism Satellite Accounts.

Civil service reforms initiated in the wake of the 2008 recommendations of the Pay Research Bureau are expected to provide operational flexibility, particularly with respect to recruitment of the variety of skills required by the NSS, and for merit-based reward and promotion.

TO SUM UP

9

VISIONTo be a key provider of world-class statistical information

MISSIONTo provide coherent, timely, relevant and reliable statistics, consistent with

international principles and standards, for effective policy and

decision-making, and for monitoring national development processes

GOALTo improve development outcomes and governance by strengthening

National Statistical Systems in the country

CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE

10

11

Central Statistics OfficeLIC Centre - John Kennedy Street - Port Louis - MAURITIUSTel.: 212 2316 - Fax: 211 4150 - e-mail: cso@mail.gov.mu

Website: http://statsmauritius.gov.mu

This booklet has been produced in collaboration with PARIS21