Revised statistics law to boost policy making, plans

The State Council session discussed draft statistics and information law referred by the Council of Ministers and the report of the Economic Committee on Tuesday. It also approved the report of the joint committee of the State Council and Majlis Ash’shura based on Law Regulating the Practice of Medicine & Allied Medical Professions.

Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, State Council Chairman, in his opening speech, reviewed the agenda of the session and said that it would discuss the draft law of statistics and Information. He noted in this regard the efforts of the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The council chairman said the session on Wednesday will discuss the draft regulations of private courier and parcels companies in the GCC countries, forwarded by the Council of Ministers and the report of the Economic Committee. It would additionally discuss the proposal on mining submitted by the Special Committee, as well as the proposal of Committee for Education and Research to study about utilising the services of retired people. The session will also note the Secretariat Report and reports pertaining to the Council’s work.

Dr Mantheri prayed for Almighty’s guidance to drive the progress of Oman under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah al Harthy, Head of the Economic Committee, presented the committee’s statement on draft statistics and information law.

He explained that the project included 37 articles, divided into six chapters, namely: General definitions and provisions, status, means of collecting data and information, obligations of the existing and in charge of statistical activities, availability of data and information and penalties.

Further, he noted that the draft law was in keeping with the changes and developments in this field and included important details, as compared to the Statistical Law promulgated by Royal Decree No (29/2001).

He pointed out that the Committee agreed with the opinion of both Majlis Ash’shura and the Legal Committee on most of the articles of the project, while it considered redrafting some articles and retaining some as contained in the law.

Al Harthy expressed the hope that the new Law would contribute to the development of statistical work in the Sultanate and reflect positively on the performance of the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

The explanatory memorandum of the Law highlighted the appropriateness of its timing in view of the need to update the current statistical law, which has been in place for about fifteen years, in keeping with national and international trends towards the centralisation of statistical work and in line with developments in modern statistical and informatics systems.

The main objectives of the law are to provide authoritative official statistics in all areas, contribute to the updating of statistical indicators to keep pace with the rapid development of information and establish national standards for official statistics in the Sultanate in accordance with international best practices.

It would also build a set of standards and methods that ensure reliable official statistics for policy making and use in planning, performance monitoring and evaluation.