Statistics, auditor general get budget boost

Although not all of the Minnis administration’s commitments to increase resources in governmental agencies are directly reflected in the budget allocations for the upcoming fiscal year, the government has sought to honor its pledge to improve the resources of the Department of Statistics and the Office of the Auditor General.

The government committed to giving the Department of Statistics the autonomy and resources to improve the “timelines, and reliability” of information provided to the public.

In 2016/2017, the former government allocated $3.1 million to the department.

The FNM provided another $79,100 to the department ($3,179,900) in 2017/2018.

In the upcoming budget, the department will receive $3,612,011 – an increase of $432,111.

The department’s acting director, Leona Wilson, has said that due to “constrained physical resources”, the department has been unable to produce more frequent labor force surveys.

Wilson also said last year that the department’s staff was limited.

The department is responsible for issuing unemployment, labor force and gross domestic product growth numbers, among other statistics.

It has been subjected to some criticisms over its labor force survey not providing a true reflection of unemployment trends, due to fluctuations in temporary jobs around the times the surveys have been taken.

The government plans to increase the Department of Statistics’ budget with $3.7 million in 2019/2010 and $3.79 million in 2020/2021.

Upon coming to office, the FNM pledged to introduce legislation to strengthen the Department of the Auditor General and provide it with the necessary resources.

This department will receive a more sizable increase in the upcoming fiscal year.

The government allocated $2,761,358 for 2018/2019 compared to the $2,547,740 it allocated in 2017/2018 – a difference of $213,618.

In 2016/2017, the former administration allocated $2,533,800 to the department.

However, the government has allocated $3.2 million for the Department of the Auditor General in 2019/2020 and a further $3.5 million in 2020/2021.

The Parliamentary Registration Department is one example of the FNM not meeting its commitment.

In the lead up to the general election, the FNM lamented the department’s lack of modern resources.

However, the department’s budget will be decreased in 2018/2019.

It was also decreased in 2017/2018.

The department will receive $1,442,700 in the upcoming fiscal period, down $109,933, from the $1,552,633 it received in 2017/2018.

The allocation in 2017/2018 was down $2.1 million compared to the Christie administration’s allocation in 2016/2017.

The government plans to provide the department with $1.4 million in 2019/2020 and another $1.4 million in 2020/2021.

A committee of experts from a primary regional anti-corruption body recommended that The Bahamas government provide the Department of the Auditor General greater autonomy in the preparation and presentation of its budget, noting “this office depends on the Ministry of Finance for an operating budget, and the constitution leaves the audit of the Office of the Auditor General in the hands of the minister of finance”.