Govt to accelerate CSO transformation

MBONGENI MGUNI
Staff Writer | Tuesday September 7, 2010 00:00

While the Statistics Act - the vehicles for transforming the CSO into an autonomous Statistics Botswana - was passed in December 2009, little progress has been made on the ground, much to the ire of staffers who feel in limbo.  By contrast, the Competition Act, which entered Parliament and was also passed by legislators in December, is in the process of being fully operationalised, with seven commissioners, including a chairperson, being appointed recently.  The Competition Commission is presently headhunting for a CEO.  The Statistics Act also envisages a board overseeing committees dealing with 13 forms of statistics guided by a National Statistical System and producing data according to international best practice.  However, the board is yet to take shape.  The Statistics Bill and the Competition Bill - Bills Number 18 and 17 of 2009 respectively - are both seen as essential building blocks and key ingredients of other progressive economies around the world.  At a staff meeting yesterday, Minister Matambo was put under pressure by disgruntled CSO staffers who said the delay in effecting the new Act had opened the door to weightier labour challenges.

'We are asking for your help in making this law come into effect,' said Chief Statistician, Ketso Makhumalo.  'As it is, DPSM told us to produce pay structures and functional structures for the new organisation and we found ourselves working overtime.

'When we asked the Attorney General whether we were supposed to be doing these tasks, we were told that this is the work of the Statistics Botswana board. We are now working with aggrieved staffers and need your assistance,' Makhumalo said.  Another CSO staffer weighed in, saying it appeared the minister was unfamiliar with the issue and called on Matambo to follow up the staffers' grievances.

Conceding that progress in effecting the Statistics Act was tardy, Matambo said the ministry's leadership would pull out all the stops to ensure that the CSO's transformation took place.

'I hear you and I'm taking note of this seriously,' Matambo said.  'I'm aware that the Permanent Secretary knows about this issue - that we have to appoint a board and move the work forward.  'We are saying we hear you and you are speaking the truth.  It is now our task to progress Statistics Botswana as quickly as possible.  I take this issue very seriously and I will follow it up.'

Under the new law, the CSO Board will appoint committees, under which Statistics Botswana's key activities will be carried out.

The transformation is expected to enhance the production of timely statistical information and accommodate increased demand for statistics as already allowed for in the African Statistics Charter of the African Union that emphasises coordination and quality.

Autonomy will promote transparency and good governance, as well as enhance the credibility and impartiality of official statistics.

Autonomy is also in line with international best practice.  Statistics Botswana will be supervised through Parliament, which will also have the authority to sanction publication of official statistical information for national and international use.