The first study on the availability of data for the sustainable develop­ment goal (SDG) indi­cators in the Caribbean Netherlands has been completed.

The Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) in the Netherlands was com­missioned by the Dutch Parliament’s Standing Committee on Kingdom Relations to examine the availability of indicators in the Monitor of Well­being and the SDGs for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. This exercise resulted in a report that was published Wednes­day.

The study examined the availability of the 267 SDG indicators used in CBS’ Monitor of Well­being and the SDGs. These “SDGPIus” indi­cators comprise the avail­able official SDG indica­tors of the United Na­tions, supplemented with indicators used in the CBS Monitor. The main relevant themes for the islands in the Caribbean Netherlands are poverty, the economy, nature and tourism.

Only a limited number of 34 indicators are avail­able for Statia, Saba and Bonaire. For 176 indi­cators, or nearly 70 per cent of the total, no in­formation is available. This does not necessarily mean that these indica­tors cannot be construct­ed, the CBS said.

Take the indicator “Traf­fic deaths”, for example. Although no official cause-of-death statistics arc available for the Caribbean Netherlands, causes of death are es­tablished and recorded by medical practitioners and can be collected and analysed.

“Although the num­ber of indicators already available is relatively small, it could be impor­tant to start monitoring them in order to track developments in well­being and sustainability. It would be very valu­able for the islands if this first stock-taking exercise were to be followed up on a regular basis, so that the islands also gain an insight into sustainable development.”

Expanding the report with data from Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten would also have signifi­cant added value, the CBS said.

The Daily Herald.