THE Consumer Price Index Unit within the National Statistics Office, Ministry of Finance and Treasury has held a five day workshop for its staff last week.
Facilitated by Senior Statistician Anna Luvu, the training involved core elements of maintenance and quality Adjustments to respond to missing prices and related challenges, especially during the current new normal, and post Covid-19 era.
The training is expected to improve staff technical capability in producing and maintaining the leading inflation measure for the Solomon Islands, and ensuring it is fit for purpose, representative and is an accurate statistic and continues to support evidence based policy and planning purposes.
It is also expected to improve CPI field operations and regional compilation.
This will lead to increased capability development in analytical skills, outlier identification, best practice data collection techniques and quality adjustments techniques.
Meanwhile, the participants expressed their appreciation.
Velma Rosa said the training was timely as it helps them to identify problems in how they conduct their responsibilities.
“Now that we have identified those problems we can carry out our duties more effectively. We can improve on our data collection in the future.”
George Tuke pointed out that other stakeholders in the country also use the data they collect.
“What we collect is not only for our work and the Statistics Office but for other stakeholders too. They make decisions based on our data, so it’s important that we do it right.
“There have also been changes made as to how we should carry out the work.
“Overall the training was good.”
NSO’s CPI officers from Honiara, Noro and Gizo in the Western Province, Taro in Choiseul Province and Auki Malaita Province attended the program.
—NSO
