Alberto Fernández already has the INDEC reform project in hand. It is an initiative that Sergio Massa sent two weeks ago to the Casa Rosada modify the regime that regulates the military government body of Juan Carlos Onganía. The goal is to “strengthen” the quality of the statistics through a series of changes that include appointing authorities with Congressional endorsement and extending their terms for five years.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the draft law organic of the national statistical system seeks to “adapt statistical production to new international practices, in addition to strengthening the autonomy and coordination of statistics”.
The idea is that INDEC is a decentralized and self-sufficient entity with functional autonomy under the orbit of the Palacio de Hacienda, instead of a decentralized body, reporting directly to the minister through the Economic Policy Secretariat, as is the case today. The agency currently has an allocation of $24,000 million, but it does not have its own budget.
One of the major changes is the appointment of authorities. In Massa’s proposal, the executive director is appointed by the executive, but must have the consent of the national Senate. Currently, the highest authority of the organization is designated by the President. Cristina Kirchner nominated Ana María Edwin and Nestor Itzcovich, Mauricio Macri Jorge Todesca and Alberto Fernández Marco Lavagna.
In case of technical director, will be appointed by the executive director, previous one public race background and opposition. “The goal is to strengthen the Institute’s independence, objectivity and transparency”, reads an internal Economy document. In addition, both authorities will have a 5-year term and will need to have a recognized track record, high professional qualification and suitability in statistics or related disciplines.
With this change, Massa aims to ensure continuity in the face of changes in the executivesince currently the mandate of the CEO coincides with that of the central government authorities.
Moreover, Congress will participate in the control of statistical production through a bicameral monitoring commission, which will have among its functions that of promoting methodological improvements, new operations and statistical products that respond to the information needs of the population. Furthermore, it can recommend the removal of the executive director of INDEC for non-compliance or poor performance.
Referring to modernization of statistics, a specific definition of administrative records is inserted and emphasis is placed on coordination between their suppliers and producers of statistics for their access, exploitation, standardization and continuous improvement. At the same time, to ensure data protection, statistical secrecy is “strengthened”the conditions of confidentiality and protocols processing and storage.
“The law aims, in turn, to strengthen the quality of statistical production. On the one hand, on the recommendation of international organizations, it adheres to the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics of the United Nations and to good practices, principles which all organizations that produce official statistics must adhere to”, indicates the Economics project.
It’s also included a specific chapter on the quality of statistics, which establishes the commitment to constantly evaluate, improve and safeguard the quality of official statistics in terms of relevance, timeliness, impartiality, transparency and comparability, establishing the essential guidelines for statistical dissemination and dissemination.
Likewise, for the first time and explicitly, the obligation to prepare a multi-year statistical program is included in the legislation, with the aim of defining the strategic development of official statistics and the coordination of production between the various agencies of the national statistical system. .
NS
Source: Clarin
