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About Us

A review about the Samoa Bureau of Statistics

The Bureau of Statistics has a mandate to support statistical activities and services in Samoa.

In this role SBS can sometimes help in practical aspects of the design and carrying out of statistical activities, and provide information about best practise and international standards for statistics.

If you are involved in the development or use of statistics about Samoa, contact the Bureau. Advice can be given in areas including:

Using samples of households from the Bureau’s GIS household survey frame helps to manage the survey burden on Samoa’s small population.

Contact SBS for more information.

office service Charter

The Statistics Act 2015

AN ACT to consolidate and amend certain enactments relating to the Statistics of Samoa and the taking of the Census of Population, Housing and Agriculture.

Click on the following links to access the Statistical Act 2015 in both English and Samoan version;

Institutional Strengthening Project


The Samoa Bureau of Statistics is currently undergoing an Institutional Strengthening Project.

The Project goal, purpose and objectives are:


GOAL: Strengthen the capacity of the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS) to provide high quality statistics to enable the private and public sectors in Samoa to formulate evidence based policies to undertake economic, social and business planning

PURPOSE: To ensure that the SBS, as the national centre of expertise in official statistics, is efficiently and effectively producing and disseminating high quality statistics and playing a strategic role in the coordination of official statistics in Samoa and the region.


The Project has four main components:


Component 1: Organisational Management – to strengthen the management capacity of the SBS and its systems in the areas of strategic planning, human resource management & development; work programming, budgeting and records management

Component 2: Statistical Services – to strengthen the capacity of the technical divisions in the SBS to provide key statistical services in the areas of macro-economic, social and socio-economic and socio-demographic statistics; and in the use of specific program and tools such as the HouseholdSurvey Capability Program (HSCP) and the National Census and in the development of effective and appropriate dissemination practice and processes.


This component fcuses on four areas:

– Sub-component 2.1: Economic Statistics – to develop a coherent set of macro-economic statistics and to extend statistical activities to provide new information required by clients and delivered in a timely manner


– Sub-component 2.2: Social Statistics – to develop a strong analytical capacity for social, socio-economic and socio-demographic data and to further develop the HSCP


– Sub-component 2.3: Births, Deaths & Marriages – to improve completeness and timeliness of registration of vital events; and to develop appropriate records management and archiving processes


– Sub-component 2.4: Statistics Dissemination – to develop a strong and clear approach to the dissemination of Samoa’s statistical data to national and regional clients and stakeholders

Component 3: Statistics IT Systems and Processes – to develop a reliable, up-to-date and resilient IT system to support the operations of the SBS, including the website and GIS

Component 4: Project Management – to ensure that inputs from the PSIF and other Government of Samoa sources are effectively and efficiently managed and that the project component objectives are met.

Samoa National Statistics System Policy on Dissemination of Statistics

The Statistics Act 1971 provides the Bureau of Statistics with a mandate for ensuring statistics are widely available and with the legal basis for statistical dissemination.

The Samoa Strategy for Development of Statistics provides the strategic direction for the dissemination of statistics (see Attachment One).

Please click the link:below to access SBS Dissemination Policy:

SBS Dissemination policy

Samoa Bureau of Statistics Internal Communications Protocols

Principles

  • We are focused on being clear, meaningful and relevant in all communication
  • We are open to communication at all levels, and respectful of all
  • Principles

  • We are focused on being clear, meaningful and relevant in all communication
  • We are open to communication at all levels, and respectful of all
  • Goal - To improve communication between all people in SBS so that

  • All staff are fully informed and engaged
  • Communications go to all appropriate peoplel
  • Mis-communication is minimised
  • Goal - To improve communication between all people in SBS so that

  • All staff are fully informed and engaged
  • Communications go to all appropriate peoplel
  • Mis-communication is minimised
  • Communicate Well

  • Use focused, honest communication
  • All people are important: show respect
  • Be professional, not personal
  • Acknowledge others work
  • Use the language you are most comfortable in
  • Listen – two-way communication works
  • Communicate Well

  • Use focused, honest communication
  • All people are important: show respect
  • Be professional, not personal
  • Acknowledge others work
  • Use the language you are most comfortable in
  • Listen – two-way communication works
  • Follow email protocols

    Email is a core communication tool and must be treated as official communication.

  • Read your emails every day
  • Respond within a day
  • Copy the appropriate people
  • Follow up with a conversation either before or after
  • If angry or offended, don’t respond till later, then tackle the issue not the person.
  • Follow email protocols

    Email is a core communication tool and must be treated as official communication.

  • Read your emails every day
  • Respond within a day
  • Copy the appropriate people
  • Follow up with a conversation either before or after
  • If angry or offended, don’t respond till later, then tackle the issue not the person.
  • Maintain good relationships

  • Use the appropriate channels - communicate through the person you report to.
  • Managers maintain good relations with their staff by ensuring they are informed first about matters that affect them
  • Always discuss an issue with your direct manager first. If they are not available and you need to go higher, brief your direct manager as soon as possible
  • All levels have an open door, but only use these when normal channels fail
  • Maintain good relationships

  • Use the appropriate channels - communicate through the person you report to.
  • Managers maintain good relations with their staff by ensuring they are informed first about matters that affect them
  • Always discuss an issue with your direct manager first. If they are not available and you need to go higher, brief your direct manager as soon as possible
  • All levels have an open door, but only use these when normal channels fail
  • Actions

  • On the job coaching and training in effective language for professional communication
  • Managers lead by example and provide supportive feedback to increase skills
  • Regular team meetings – weekly
  • Regular one-one staff progress discussions – at least monthly
  • Check if communication has improved e.g. with staff engagement survey
  • Actions

  • On the job coaching and training in effective language for professional communication
  • Managers lead by example and provide supportive feedback to increase skills
  • Regular team meetings – weekly
  • Regular one-one staff progress discussions – at least monthly
  • Check if communication has improved e.g. with staff engagement survey
  • Samoa Bureau of Statistics External Communications Protocols

    Principles

  • We are focused on being clear, meaningful and relevant in all communication with our stakeholders
  • We ensure we understand our audience and tailor our communication to meet their needs.
  • Principles

  • We are focused on being clear, meaningful and relevant in all communication with our stakeholders
  • We ensure we understand our audience and tailor our communication to meet their needs.
  • Goal - To improve communication between all people in SBS so that

  • Users and data suppliers have increased awareness of the roles of SBS
  • The availability and usefulness of statistics increases
  • The information is disseminated in ways that meets user data needs
  • Goal - To improve communication between all people in SBS so that

  • Users and data suppliers have increased awareness of the roles of SBS
  • The availability and usefulness of statistics increases
  • The information is disseminated in ways that meets user data needs
  • Communicate well and often

  • Use focussed, honest communication
  • Be professional
  • Contact regular users and suppliers often
  • Listen and make sure you understand the issue or request
  • Follow good email practices
  • Communicate well and often

  • Use focussed, honest communication
  • Be professional
  • Contact regular users and suppliers often
  • Listen and make sure you understand the issue or request
  • Follow good email practices
  • Maintain good relationships

  • Be aware of the SBS service charter and follow it
  • Build relationships through informal discussion
  • Use the appropriate channels for requests e.g. ACEO to ACEO
  • If you pass a request on to someone else to action, follow up to make sure it is done
  • Follow up emails with a phone call if needed
  • Develop a Memorandum of Understanding for each sector and major suppliers, to ensure mutual understanding
  • Maintain good relationships

  • Be aware of the SBS service charter and follow it
  • Build relationships through informal discussion
  • Use the appropriate channels for requests e.g. ACEO to ACEO
  • If you pass a request on to someone else to action, follow up to make sure it is done
  • Follow up emails with a phone call if needed
  • Develop a Memorandum of Understanding for each sector and major suppliers, to ensure mutual understanding
  • Release Information to meet user needs

  • The website is the first place to look for information for many users.
  • Make sure every information release is on the website on the day
  • Provide Samoan translation of all short information releases and summaries of long technical reports
  • Follow the Dissemination Policy and SBS Style Guide
  • Email releases as well as paper copies.
  • Release Information to meet user needs

  • The website is the first place to look for information for many users.
  • Make sure every information release is on the website on the day
  • Provide Samoan translation of all short information releases and summaries of long technical reports
  • Follow the Dissemination Policy and SBS Style Guide
  • Email releases as well as paper copies.