Population statistics
Editorial
In its Statistical Bulletin for June l997 the Bureau of Statistics shows the population as at mid year l997 as 775,l43, 5000 up from mid l996, comprising 38l,9l3 males and 393,230 females. The Bulletin contains a lot of useful information. Regrettably, a lot of it is badly out of date. For example, births are only given up to l990, deaths up to l992. In the general introduction we are told that the Bureau in collaboration with UNICEF is undertaking a project for the institutional strengthening of social statistics. In the introduction to the Demography section it is acknowledged that most of the information is not current but a "great effort is being made in collaboration with other agencies which provide and use these data to ensure that in future publications updated information is available". A glance at the estimated population figures shows that our population has only grown from 759,000 in l980 to about 776,000 now, a mere 2% over l7 years. Looking at births and deaths, the total births for l990, the last year given, are l4520 and the deaths for that year 4755. That would suggest that the population might have grown by about 9000 that year. However, when we look at the population statistics for that year it actually fell by some 6000. How does one account for this? The arrivals and departures for l990 are shown as l32,605 and l50,l64 respectively. In other words, l8000 more passengers left than came in. However, it is likely that only a small percentage of those were permanent emigrants, officially at any rate. If we look, for example, at departures by passenger category for l994 (the figures for l990 are not given) the total permanent emigrants for that year total about l500. In the three years included, births exceed deaths by l0,000 or more each year. Yet the population hardly grows. Clearly there is a continuing leakage of substantial dimensions. Perhaps the permanent emigrants are understated (this could be checked with embassy figures) or illegal emigration is continuing on quite a scale. It would be helpful if the Bureau commented on and analysed these trends in its report. The Bulletin does not provide the racial or age breakground of the population which we believe should be included. There are other obvious gaps, for example, on education there is only one page which gives the number of nursery, primary and secondary schools, the gross and net enrolment rates for each category, the percentage of trained teachers and, in the case of nursery schools, the number of children in the school feeding programme. What about CXC exam results, common entrance, higher education statistics and so on. The Bulletin is welcome (this is its sixth issue) and will no doubt improve and expand as time passes. 
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