ONLINE STATISTICS:
NOTES TO GENERAL STATISTICS TABLES
Notes to the Tables
Section I
General Statistics
Table 1: Retail Price Index – End of Period
The Retail Prices Index is prepared by the Barbados Statistical Service. It is designed to measure price changes in the typical basket of goods and services purchased by a household.
A new Index of Retail Prices with base of March 1980 replaced the old index, which was based on October 1965. October 1979 was the first month from which data was available for both indexes; and data prior to October 1979 was obtained by multiplying All Items of the old index by the ratio 0.2126, i.e.,
October 1979 (New Index)
October 1979 (Old Index)
Effective July 1995, the B.S.S. ceased production of the 1980 base year Retail Index. This has been re- placed by a new index with a 1994 base year. May 1994 was the first month from which data was available for both indexes; and data prior to May 1994 was obtained by multiplying All Items of the old index by the ratio 0.4898, i.e.,
May 1994 (New Index)
May 1994 (Old Index)
The new index is representative of the consumption patterns of private households with disposable income of $3,500 or less per month compared with $1,999 for the old index. 226 items of goods and services are covered in the new index as against 168 items previously.
A new index of Retail Prices with base of July 2001 replaced the old index, which was based on May 1994. July .2001 was the first month the data was available in both indexes, and data prior to July 2001 may be obtained by multiplying all Items of the old index by the ratio .8824, ie,:
July 2001 (New Index)
July 2001 (Old Index)
The current series covers the whole range of commodities and service that are consumed by private non-institutional households in the island, in the lower and middle-income groups. The items in the index remained the same but the sample of goods and services consists of 340 items as compared with 226 items in the previous index.
The Inflation Rate is calculated on the twelve month moving average.
Table 2: Retail Price Index - Averages For Period
The annual Retail Price Index is an average for the twelve-month period January to December. The quarterly figures are the averages for three months.
The Retail Price Index was revised from July 2001 with a new base period of July 2001 =100, instead of May 1994 = 100.
Table 3: Index of Industrial Production - End for Period
Other Manufacturing Industries
Includes other non-metallic products, printing group, fabricated metal products, electrical machinery and transport equipment.
The annual index is an average for the twelve-month period January to December.
Data for Mining & Quarrying and Beverages & Tobacco has been revised from 1990.
Table 4:Index of Industrial Production - Averages for the Period
Data for Mining & Quarrying and Beverages & Tobacco has been revised from 1990.
Table 5:Labour Force and Employment by Sex
Adult Population
Population 15 years of age and over.
Total Labour Force
All persons 15 years old and over who are gainfully employed or were seeking employment in the three-month period prior to enumeration.
Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as percent of Labour Force.
Participation Rate
Labour Force as a percentage of Total Adult population.
The annual data is the average of the four quarters.
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