Census Issues Resolved – Exercise to be Completed in March

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is reporting that most of the administrative process-related issues affecting the 2022 Population and Housing Census’ initial phase have been resolved.

The Census, which commenced last September on a phased basis in western parishes and subsequently rolled out islandwide, was slated for completion within three months.

The exercise was, however, extended into the first quarter of 2023 based on the issues arising, to ensure maximum coverage of the Jamaican population, and is now scheduled to conclude in March.

Director General, STATIN, Carol Coy, who provided the update, indicated that the Institute will “continue to address concerns as they arise”.

She was speaking during the Institute’s digital quarterly media briefing, on Tuesday (January 17).

Ms. Coy said one of the issues being addressed is the recruitment of census takers, consequent on a shortfall in the number of persons currently engaged.

STATIN targeted the recruitment of approximately 7,000 field officers to administer the Census islandwide.

Ms. Coy indicated, however, that the Institute did not achieve this figure, pointing out that “we have onboarded approximately 4,800”.

Further to this, she added that “several census takers have also opted out of the job for varying reasons”.

“STATIN is, therefore, redoubling its efforts with targeted recruitment, training and onboarding of census takers in specific communities that currently have shortfalls, as we seek to identify candidates that are best suited to perform the tasks required, until everyone is counted,” the Director General said.

Ms. Coy informed that to support the Census’ continuation, STATIN will be bolstering the communication awareness campaign to remind persons of the exercise’s importance and encourage them to participate.

She said the Institute continues to work with various groups, including community associations, justices of the peace, municipal corporations, strata bodies, faith-based communities, and private-sector organisations, “to ensure that the general population is aware of the importance of participating in the Census and that they are counted”.

Ms. Coy reiterated that the exercise is an extensive project conducted every 10 years, which provides important information on the population, including demographic and socio-economic conditions and housing stock.

The Director General underscored the importance of continuously monitoring a project of the Census’ magnitude and assessing the various activities and processes, “to facilitate timely adjustments to ensure the project is completed successfully”.

“Once data collection is completed, the information will be reviewed, processed and analysed, and a final population count will be provided, along with other thematic reports,” Ms. Coy told journalists.

She assured citizens that the census data provided to the Institute are treated with the strictest of confidence, as STATIN collects and publishes same in accordance with the provisions of the Statistics Act.

Consequently, Ms. Coy is encouraging persons to cooperate with field officers visiting them during the period of the extension,

She advised that while some of the field officers’ photo identification cards presented have a December 2022 expiration date, “given the continuation of the Census, these are still valid and supported by an extension letter, if further proof is required”.

Persons may also verify that the person is a census taker, by calling the toll-free number, 888-Mi count (642-6878) or sending a message on WhatsApp to (876) 553-7613.

“Census takers are deployed islandwide. So, if you have not yet been counted, please cooperate with the census takers,” Ms. Coy urged.

The 2022 Population and Housing Census is being conducted under the theme: ‘Yuh Count, Mi Count, All A Wi Count’.