Functions of the Board

(1) The Board shall perform the following functions– (a) examine and submit, for the approval of the Minister, the business plan and financial estimates drawn up by the Director-General for the administration of the Institute; (b) regulate and generally supervise the production of official statistics in accordance with international requirements and standards; (c) discuss and advise on statistical matters, including methodologies, relating to the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics; (d) establish priorities in responding to the demand for official statistics; (e) liaise between the Institute and other public bodies concerning the supply of data and the co-ordination of activities with statistical implications; (f) co-ordinate, subject to the final decision of the Minister, on the resolution of any conflicts which may arise between the Institute and other public authorities relating to the extraction of statistics from records or the co- ordination of statistical activities; 18 (g) publish the business plan after its approval by (h) disseminate the knowledge of official statistics; or (i) consider and comment, where necessary, on the yearly report submitted by the Director- General on the work of the Institute as required by section 17 (4)(g). (2) For the better performance of its functions, the Institute may execute contracts and establish forms of collaboration and understandings with other local and foreign statutory bodies, government departments, international organizations, and other entities which exercise regulatory, supervisory or licensing powers, under any law, in Belize or abroad, in gathering, collecting, analysing or disseminating statistics, which could be directly or indirectly beneficial to the Institute. (3) The members of the Board, other than the Director- General, shall not have access to confidential information pertaining to any individual, household or undertaking. (4) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be construed as enabling the Board to exercise any power or function already assigned to the Director-General under this Act. (5) The Board and employees of the Institute shall not take instructions from the Government or any other authority, political parties, or any other interest groups, in the selection of data sources, statistical methods and procedures, in the contents, form and time of dissemination, and in the application of statistical confidentiality.