Census figures will not be available until September
-preliminary data suggests immigration on the rise
Stabroek News
June 24, 2003
The earliest information about the size and composition of Guyana’s population will not be available until September but unofficial data suggests that immigration from neighbouring countries is on the rise.
September will be almost a year since the bureau first started collecting information for the National Population and Housing Census which by law has to be conducted every ten years.
The Bureau, according to Chief Statistician Lennox Benjamin, is currently engag-ed in the scanning and processing of census data, an activity which he said would be stepped up in the coming weeks.
He had promised initial data in June and acknowledged the speculation over the delay. But he added that while everyone was interested in a number for Guyana’s population, the demographics were particularly important in the formulation of policies.
The census is intended as a “snapshot” and will provide data on the characteristics of the population at September 15, 2002, Census Day. This includes the size, composition and proportion - e.g. age, gender, race, religion, etc - as well as data on education, housing and economic activities.
Based on the last census in 1991, as well as subsequent surveys, the Bureau has projected a total population increase.
Preliminary dissemination of data was due to begin this month, but Benjamin, in an interview with Stabroek News last week, said the Bureau has had to reschedule its deadlines. This is because of extended enumeration exercises in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which were only completed last month. Enumeration began in October last year and these two interior areas were left until the end of the exercise, owing to the difficulties of moving around in what was the dry season.
Benjamin said the scanning process was moving quickly and the Bureau was looking to increase its coding staff to edit questionnaires for scanning. The Bureau is also dispatching staff back to the field to do final checks since the core of the enumeration was not done by the Bureau’s permanent staff. Checks are also being done for persons who were absent during enumeration as well as to look at the increase or decrease in the number of buildings in certain areas.
He did however note that there had been an apparent increase in Guyana’s foreign-born population, with an influx of migrants particularly from Caricom and border countries. He cited Regions 7, 8 and 9 as areas where there had been some increases since the last census.
He said preliminary data had also suggested that the size of households have been reducing, which he attributed to housing drives as well as the maturation of 1991’s “young population” who now have families of their own.
However, Benjamin noted that one trend which was difficult to track was migration, explaining that a common phenomenon is that citizens do not declare their intention to migrate, thus leaving no record of their departure. (Andre Haynes)
