Statisticians from across the region will soon be better equipped to measure and monitor effectively the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). This is due to a training exercise to be hosted in Barbados by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.

The two-day CSME Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework Training Workshop starts on Monday, November 7th at the Accra Beach Hotel. This initiative is being facilitated under the 10th European Development Fund CSME and Economic Integration Programme.

Participants will be representatives from national and regional statistics offices who would be required to compile data on compliance with and implementation of the CSME regimes. The aim of the training is to create a self-sustaining mechanism by improving the capacity of these statisticians to use a standardized monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) framework.

Some of the topics that will be covered include MER systems and official statistics; MER framework and its structure; compliance indicators of the MER and the use of information and dissemination. Coming out of this training, it is anticipated that CSME-participating member states will have a strengthened capacity to assess and monitor the level of CSME implementation nationally. This should assist the proper functioning of the single market and economy since gaps can then be identified more quickly and appropriate steps taken to address these.

This workshop is being carried out as part of the capacity-building deliverable of the Consultancy for the Development of a Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework of the CSME.