The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Cindy Clarke, has confirmed that her office is reviewing files received from the Director of the Department of Statistics concerning persons and companies alleged to have failed to comply with statutory responsibilities under the Statistics Act 2002.
The Statistics Act 2002 is the foundational legislation governing the collection, compilation, analysis, and publication of statistical data in Bermuda. It empowers the Department of Statistics to conduct surveys and censuses and to collect important economic, demographic, social, and other information necessary for Bermuda’s planning and development.
The DPP emphasised that compliance with the Act is not a mere administrative requirement.
“Reliable statistical information is essential to good governance,” Ms Clarke said. “When individuals or companies fail to provide information lawfully required under the Statistics Act, it undermines Bermuda’s ability to plan properly, allocate resources fairly, and make evidence-based decisions in the public interest.”
Accurate statistics affect the everyday lives of residents. They assist in decisions about housing, schools, healthcare, employment, social services, economic development, infrastructure, and the delivery of public services.
For the average resident, incomplete or inaccurate data can affect how the Government understands community needs, where resources are directed, and how future policies are shaped.
For Bermuda as a whole, failure to comply with lawful statistical obligations can weaken national planning, distort economic and social indicators, and reduce the reliability of information used by Government, businesses, investors, researchers, and international partners.
A strong statistical framework supports transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making across the country.
The Department of Public Prosecutions will review each file independently and in accordance with its constitutional responsibilities. Any decision to prosecute will be made only after careful consideration of the evidence and the public interest.
Members of the public and companies are reminded of the importance of complying with lawful requests made by the Department of Statistics.
