Grenada joined countries in the rest of the region in observing Caribbean Statistics Day, under the theme: “Leave No One Behind…Everyone One Counts.”
The theme reflects the importance of a census with the need for everyone to be counted, and also promoting unity, inclusion, and equality, essential in achieving sustainable development.
REPORT:
With the census here having been delayed in view of the recent spike of the coronavirus, the public is being advised that the Central Statistical Office will begin enumeration for the 2021 National Population and Housing Census from the 1st of November.
Administrators believe the delay was in the best interest of everyone, as enumerators will be going out into the communities when the risk of contracting the virus is minimized.
The Central Statistical Office says it’s is encouraged by the rate of COVID-19 recoveries and the reduction in active cases.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, it’s reviewing protocols and procedures for the safety of field staff.
The public is , however, being reminded that the offices’ main mode of enumeration is telephone interviewing, but to be able to execute this mode of operation, the enumerator will be doing a complete listing of buildings and households in the various enumeration districts in each parish.
The second mode for data collection will be face-to-face interviews, which will capture households who were not or cannot be interviewed via the telephone.
This mode would only be activated when it is necessary and safe to do so.
The Central Statistical Office continues to make an important appeal to the public to cooperate with the census enumerators by providing a telephone contact number at which they can be easily contacted.
On the observance of the region’s Statistics Day today, CARICOM Secretary-General, Carla N. Barnett, noted that
countries need to produce timely statistics to help drive the recovery from the pandemic in both the health and economic sectors.
To achieve this goal, she says, statistical agencies must be adequately resourced to provide the data inputs to ensure evidence-based decision-making.
