The Caribbean needs to strengthen the quality and detail of population data used in policymaking, a senior civil servant said on Monday, as shifting demographics and global economic pressures require more precise information to guide development decisions.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development, Jennifer Hunte, made the call at the opening of a regional workshop focused on improving the data Caribbean governments rely on to plan services, infrastructure and development across both urban and rural communities.
The five-day workshop has brought together statisticians, planners and technical experts from across CARICOM, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), WorldPop, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the European Commission.
Participants will also gain first-hand experience using the internationally recognised Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology, which allows governments to better understand population distribution and urban growth patterns.
Barbados has already introduced several policy frameworks designed to respond to demographic and development challenges, Hunte told attendees. These include the Barbados Physical Development Plan Amendment 2023, the Barbados National Population Policy 2023–2040, and the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan 2026.
She stressed that more detailed and reliable data are still required if policymakers are to effectively address emerging challenges facing the region.
“With the frequency and intensity of extreme weather disturbances likely to continue and other realities such as our ageing population and our shrinking labour force, there is need to rethink the approach to physical development,” Hunte said.
She noted that governments across the Caribbean and around the world are increasingly confronted with complex questions related to population distribution, urban growth and development needs. Yet, differences in how countries define urban and rural communities have often made it difficult to compare trends or design policies that accurately reflect national realities.
“The development of the degree of urbanisation, the DEGURBA methodology provides an important step towards harmonising how we understand and measure settlement patterns, allowing our countries to produce more comparable and relevant data,” she said.
Hunte added that the successful use of these tools depends on having a strong technical foundation and detailed population data.
“High-quality small area and gridded population estimates are essential for understanding where people live and how populations are changing at increasingly detailed geographic levels.”
Over the course of the workshop, participants will take a practical, step-by-step approach to improving these systems. Sessions will begin with the development and validation of small-area population estimates before moving on to the application of the DEGURBA methodology to generate harmonised settlement classifications and policy-relevant analysis.
Hunte emphasised that the workshop is not simply about learning new techniques but about strengthening the capacity of national statistical systems throughout the region.
“This workshop is not only about learning new tools, it’s about strengthening the capacity of our national statistical systems to produce more granular, timely and actionable data,” she said.
According to the permanent secretary, improved data will help governments better allocate resources, strengthen development planning and ensure policies address the needs of vulnerable groups across Caribbean societies.
“This data can then support planning, improve resource allocation, and ensure that development policies respond to the needs of all populations, including girls, adolescents, youth and women,” Hunte added.
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