T&T To Conduct First National Census Since 2011
Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Dr. Kennedy Swaratsingh, has announced that a long-delayed national census will begin in the coming months – the first since 2011.
During a conference hosted by the University of the West Indies on Monday evening, he said the government is ready to repair its broken data infrastructure, and a full national census is now approved with preparations underway.
« The last time we did a census, a household census, was, I think, when Dr. Tewarie was there in 2011. So one has been approved by this government, and it is about to start within the next couple of months. So I think for the first time we would have updated census data. »
Minister Swaratsingh said the census will take roughly 18 months to complete but warned that the country can no longer afford to wait.
« What we have inherited from the last 10 years is not just a state of the economy that is in need of rescuing, but also a paucity of data and a paucity of activity to modernise across the public service, not just in the manufacturing sector, that there are significant job opportunities. »
The Minister warned that Ministries and agencies have been operating with outdated or incomplete information for some time.
He added that the shortage of reliable data has worsened labour market problems, with thousands of unfilled posts in the public service, something he said he believes a modern census will help diagnose.
« In the public service, there are about 20,000 permanent jobs that have never been filled. So when you look in terms of the gaps in employment, there are significant jobs available. The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure has been trying to get people to fill positions, and there are significant, meaningful jobs across the public service, permanent jobs that have to be filled. »
The Minister also revealed that the Central Statistical Office (CSO) could soon become a Statutory Authority, aimed at giving the CSO more independence and the ability to produce national statistics on time.
« There has been a proposed change for the CSO to become a Statutory Authority. That hasn’t been taken yet at the Cabinet, but that is the proposal that will ultimately get to the Cabinet, which has the support of UNDP as well. So they’re bringing in some technical experts. »
The Minister was speaking at a Conference on ‘The Impact of Backpay Promises on the Macroeconomy,’ hosted by the UWI’s Trade and Economic Development Unit on Monday evening.
