Santo Domingo.- Economy minister Temistocles Montas yesterday said the National Statistical Office’s (ONE) main challenge is  the 9th National Population and Housing Census in 2010, which he called the largest and most complete data source.

The official said the government aims to convert the ONE into a National Statistical Institute (INE), with autonomy in resource management.

Montas, speaking in the inaugural of the Information and Documentation Center (CENDOC) where a series of demographic works and statistical material for public use, said the Household Income and Spending Survey (ENIGH 2006-2007) will be conducted soon, to reveal the country’s poverty and inequality levels.

In the event ONE director of Pablo Tactuk said since 2005 the entity set out to accomplish a set of strategic objectives to bolster the nation’s statistical information and encourage a reform and modernization process.

Tactuk said the creation of the National Statistics School has strengthened the ONE staff’s capacities to carry out their specialized functions and provides statistics to the public.