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The Man Behind the Numbers: How Shirlen Forbes Helped Build a National Institution
By Deandrea Hamilton
GRAND TURK, Turks and Caicos Islands — Long before it became the Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority, it was a small government unit quietly collecting information for policymakers. It existed largely in the background, producing figures on population, trade, employment and economic activity.
On Tuesday, May 26, that department entered a new era.
In a ceremony themed “Empowering Our Islands Through Data,” the Statistics Department officially became the Turks and Caicos Islands
The launch itself reflected the values Forbes has championed throughout his career — inclusion, respect for institutional history and investment in the next generation.
Former and current staff were recognized. Tributes were paid to those who laid the foundation decades ago. Students from Enid Capron Primary School performed. Musicians including Robin Forbes, Dexter Landy, Vernal “Samsol” Lightbourn and Aleta “Apple” Astwood contributed cultural selections, while leaders from across government, CARICOM and the Opposition gathered under one roof.
The occasion also featured remarks from Pastor Bradley Handfield, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority, who described the launch as more than the creation of a new institution.
In his welcome message, Handfield said the Authority represents a renewed national commitment to data integrity, independence and excellence. He noted that reliable statistics underpin effective governance, business confidence and informed public discourse, while helping the country track social and economic progress and make better decisions for the future.
What stood out most was the genuine affection in the room.
The event united generations of statisticians, administrators and public servants who had contributed to the evolution of statistical services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was evident that Forbes had not forgotten those who came before him.
That commitment to people was highlighted by Acting Governor Anya Williams, who praised the department as one of the best-run entities in government and singled out Forbes for elevating both the institution and its staff.
“There are some departments that if they wrote today and said they wanted to become a statutory body, I would say, ‘Great, can I sign right now?’ But the Statistics Department was not one of those,” Williams said. She described it as a department with a long-standing record of excellence, crediting former leaders including Jones and Kathleen Forbes before noting that Shirlen Forbes had “taken it to another level.”
Her Excellency Williams spoke passionately about Forbes’ emphasis on training and higher education.
She recalled attending a University of the West Indies graduation where members of the department earned master’s degrees, achievements she directly linked to Forbes’ leadership.
“Sometimes they complain that they feel like they’re in school because Mr. Forbes always has them doing something,” she joked, before
“For him it’s about empowerment.”
That philosophy has shaped a department that now stands at the centre of national planning.
The historical timeline presented at the launch traced the journey from a statistical unit operating under the Financial Secretary’s Office, through its disbandment in 1993, re-establishment in 1998-99 with support from the Caribbean Development Bank and CARTAC, modernization during the 2000s and 2010s, and ultimately the creation of the Statistics Authority. The Statistics Act of 2012 further strengthened the legal framework for the collection and protection of official data.
Premier Charles Washington Misick acknowledged that while politicians establish policy, professionals such as Forbes make implementation possible.
“My job is to set policy and direction, but it takes people like yourself to implement and deliver,” Misick said. “I’ll take my hat off to you.”
The Premier described statistics as critical to decision-making and national development, noting that modern governments cannot plan effectively without reliable data. He then formally declared the launch of the Statistics Authority.
Yet perhaps the most memorable aspect of the occasion was not the unveiling of a logo, mission statement or statutory framework.
It was the recognition that behind every census, survey, labour report and economic indicator are people dedicated to helping a country understand itself.
For decades, Shirlen Forbes has been one of those people.
Now, with the creation of the Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority, his work stands as a reminder that nation-building is not only done in Parliament or Cabinet rooms. Sometimes it is done quietly, one dataset, one report and one trained professional at a time.
And on May 26, the Turks and Caicos Islands paused to say thank you.