Census enumerated 15-20% of population in 1st week -Benjamin
Stabroek News
October 7, 2002
Chief Statistician Lennox Benjamin says between 15-20% of the population has been enumerated after the first week of 2002 Census and he acknowledged that there is apprehension over some of the questions particularly the one about income.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Benjamin said that 50-60% of the population should be covered after the second week. Region Four is the primary focus of the exercise and the nationwide campaign is expected to begin in a week. But Benjamin says the present climate in the country and the long interval since the last census has many people either afraid to speak to strangers or suspicious of the questions the enumerators are required to ask.
Speaking with Stabroek News, Benjamin disclosed that while the exercise had gone on without much of a hitch in some areas, households in other areas were apprehensive. He explained that many persons questioned the need for enumeration and their participation and also the need for them to divulge certain information.
And although he noted that public co-operation is mandatory by law he said the Statistical Bureau was taking the more positive and interactive approach through public education.
Benjamin said the public relations campaign by the Bureau would help people understand the benefits of giving the information, while also putting to rest the myths about the exercise and how the information would be used.
He cited "the income question" as an example, noting that many persons called in to the Bureau's hotline wanting to know why it was necessary to divulge such information. Benjamin maintained that the Bureau was in no way interested in the income of specific persons, but rather in the generic information, which could be used to determine the quality of life of communities and the country. This could be compared to others in the region, and the world.
"The census is not interested in a personal profile, but in a national profile," he said. He assured that the information was confidential and said the members of the Bureau and all the enumeration staff have all been sworn in under an oath of secrecy and may be subject to prosecution if found in breach of the oath.
On the issue of security, Benjamin said the focus is primarily the safety of the household though the challenge is both the safety of the household and the enumerator. Safety concerns have affected enumeration on the East Coast, where enumerators work only one hour in the afternoon.
Again Benjamin noted that the Bureau had issued advisories in the media which detailed the regular procedure, including the regular time when enumeration would be done - between 4 pm and 6.30 pm.
Responding to a report which surfaced in the media that wanted man Premnauth Sukraj, called 'Inspector Gadget,' had impersonated an enumerator, he noted that in the area where the incident was reported, nine of the ten enumerators were women.
This preponderance of women as enumerators, which was not intentional, is a comfort, he said.
Meanwhile, Benjamin also promised that the Bureau would make efforts to ensure that persons would not be disenfranchised during the exercise. Persons who may be temporarily overseas or are not at home during enumeration owing to work or illness or otherwise and who would not be part of the de facto count, would be part of the de jure count, he said. Here, while the enumerator could not collect the detailed information from the household, they would compile the data of the number of persons living in the household. (Andre Haynes)