Saint Helena
Official title
Retail Price Index.
Scope
The index is computed quarterly and covers all households thgoughout
the island.
Official base
November 1987 = 100.
Source of weights
The weights and selected items were derived from a household expenditure
survey conducted in two stages, in October-November 1987 among a sample
of 84 households and in April-May 1988 among a sample of 94 households.
The average weekly household expenditure was about 74 pounds at the time
of the survey. The results were checked against data from import
statistics to amend the weights.
Weights and composition
| Major groups
| Number of items
| Weights
| Approximate number of price quotations
|
| Food
| 75 | 44.6 | 75
|
| Alcohol and tobacco
| 7 | 10.1 | 7
|
| Housing (incl. rent and rates)
| 3 | 5.6 | 3
|
| Fuel and light
| 5 | 5.1 | 5
|
| Clothing and footwear
| 15 | 5.8 | 15
|
| Household goods
| 13 | 7.3 | 13
|
| Transport
| 10 | 11.6 | 10
|
| Miscellaneous goods
| 15 | 7.9 | 15
|
| Services
| 6 | 2.0 | 6
|
| Total
| 149 | 100.0 | 149
|
Household consumption expenditure
Fees for driving licences and motor car insurance are included as
well as housing loan repayments and land taxes, but life insurance
premiums are excluded.
Method of data collection
Prices are collected by two agents from the Economic and
Statistics Unit during two weekdays around the 20th of February,
May, August and November from seven outlets in Jamestown.
Supplies in St. Helena depend on the arrival of the ship that
calls about once every six weeks. If the price collection date
is just before (under one week) the arrival of the ship, the
collection date is put back so that the goods are available on the
market. Controlled prices such as for water, electricity and
land taxes, and for some building materials, are obtained through
telephone calls to government departments. Discounts and sale
prices are taken into account.
Housing
Rent quotations are obtained each quarter for the weekly rent of a
government-owned three-bedroom dwelling. Owner-occupied housing
is not treated explicitly.
Specification of varieties
Specifications include the type, size, brand and point of purchase.
Price collection sheets span one year, so sharp deviations are
easily identifiable.
Substitution, quality change, etc.
When an item is no longer available on the market, it is
substituted by a similar item.
Seasonal items
No adjustments are made to the market prices.
Computation
The index is computed according to the Laspeyres formula as a
weighted arithmetic average with fixed base, using weights
corresponding to the base period.
Other information
Sub-group indices are published for Food, Alcohol and tobacco,
Housing, Fuel and light, Clothing, Household goods, Transport,
Miscellaneous goods and services. A low-income index is also
computed but not published.
Organisation and publication
Economic and Statistics Unit: Quarterly Statistical
Review
(Jamestown).
Idem: Statistical News
.