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Statistics Division
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Vai Filiga
Chief Statistician/Manager
Talofa and Welcome to Statistics Division website
The demand for statistics of the highest quality by both the federal and local government, businesses, economists, social workers, planners and others, has increased enormously. This is accounted for partly by the growing complexity of the modern world, but even more by the fact that our government today has accepted wide responsibility for the welfare of its citizens and has embarked upon a wide variety of economic diversification, regulatory measures, and social & welfare programs.
To function efficiently, our government must have a basis of sound statistical organization to provide our leaders, lawmakers, decision-policy makers and the community in general with statistical information of the highest quality. In any field, whether national or international, statistical data is fundamental for:
-comprehending the numerical aspects of the problems to be dealt with
-setting more or less isolated phenomena in their proper perspective
-indicating the significance of parts in relation to the whole, and
-substituting realistic data for wishful thinking, biased claims and political oratory
Statistics also help in shaping economic and business policy. They furnish navigational guides for the ship of State. They help social agencies that work for the welfare of the people in setting program priorities and guidelines. They also help students and the general public to have a more realistic view of the complex economic and social environment in which we live.
Our Goals
To provide a territorial statistical service, which is comprehensive and relevant to the pursuit of community goals, of the highest professional standard, used to the fullest extent and provided maximum efficiency.
& Our Objectives
To anticipate and address issues related to the physical, social, economic and environment by collecting, compiling, analyzing, and disseminating statistical data.
Functions:
1. Collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical information concerning the profile and activities of the people, and the physical and social systems in American Samoa, in particular:
Censuses of Population and Housing Censuses of Agriculture Population estimates and projections Population Monographs Vital Statistics and Health Surveys of household income/expenditures, migration, employment Education: institutions, enrollment and attainment Law Enforcement and Public Safety Climate Land Use/Ownership, Building Permits and Housing Characteristics International Arrivals and Departures Election Results Government Revenues and Expenditures Labor Force, Employment and Earnings Prices and Expenditures - Cost of living and Consumer Price Index Communication and Transportation Agriculture and Fishery Commerce and Trade Electricity and Water 2. Coordinating statistical operations of government agencies, both federal and local with respect to data collection, compilation, analysis, dissemination and publication of statistics and related information, in particular the:
- avoidance of duplication in the collection by the government agencies of information for statistical purposes, and
- attainment of compatibility between and the integration of, statistics complied by both federal and local government agencies, and
- maximum possible utilization, for statistical purposes, of information and the means of collecting of information available to government agencies, and
- formulation, and the ensuring of compliance with, federal standards, international and subject- matter standards for the carrying out by government agencies of operations for statistical purposes, and
- provision of advice and assistance to government agencies in relation to statistical procedures, and
- provision of assistance in the recruitment, training and development of staff of statistical units in government agencies, and
- general promotion and development of integrated social and economic statistics for the territory
3. Researching and requesting technical assistance, training and statistical enhancement programs for developing a comprehensive statistical capability program for the territory. Specific functions include:
consultations with the US Bureau of the Census, US Department of Interior-Office of Insular Areas, USDA and other federal agencies for program funding
consultations with the Pacific Communities, ESCAP, United Nations and other International Agencies for technical assistance
consultations with other National Statistics Offices of the Pacific region and abroad with respect information sharing and exchange of system development ideas.
AMERICAN SAMOA GOVERNMENT Department of Commerce Statistics Division Chief Statistician/Division Manager Vaitoelau (Vai) Filiga Phone: (684) 633-5155 Fax: (684) 633-4195
