…migration tempers Guyana’s population growth
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, says Government recognises the importance of population data in developing plans, policy initiatives and strategies in pursuit of its objectives of improving the quality of life for its people, eradicating poverty, creating jobs, increasing income and improving every social indicator. Dr. Singh was speaking yesterday at a workshop hosted by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Bureau of Statistics at the Regency Suites, in observance of World Population Day observed on July 11.
Minister Singh emphasised that every aspect of Government’s policy agenda and its ability to respond to those aspects is influenced by access to comprehensive data. He said that the theme for World Population Day, “Everyone counts”, is highly appropriate since it also relates to Government’s policy agenda.
“Those two words ‘everyone counts’ capture so aptly our own policy agenda as a government, our own aspirations as a people, so every single member of our 751,000 population is equally important,” he emphasised.
Citing Guyana as an example, Dr. Singh pointed to the link between population and climate change and what he termed Guyana’s “disproportionate contribution to the global fight against climate change”, given the fact that 80 percent of its territory is covered by pristine rainforest. He noted that a large proportion of the population lives on a narrow strip of the coast and that most of the country’s economic activities take place there. The Minister pointed to the 2005 floods as an example of how Guyana’s people and economy are vulnerable.
He alluded to the success of the 1994 International Conference of Population and Development in finding common ground among diverse groups and concerns, particularly on development, where it was recognised that countries with small populations like Guyana have equally challenging population issues as larger countries.
Guyana was also signatory to the resolution taken at that meeting where governments committed to instituting programmes and legislation to ensure the empowerment of women, a commitment which Guyana took very seriously to the extent that its legislative environment has been crafted to protect the most vulnerable sections of society, particularly as it relates to gender equality and the protection of children.
While reaffirming Government’s commitment to confront social issues such as domestic violence and child abuse, Minister Singh also noted the contribution of women to the productive sector and their participation at every level of decision-making.
According to the Finance Minister, debates and discussions on policies cannot be done without reference to appropriate data even at the political level.
“We should lift ourselves out of the more traditional mundane political arguments that people hear time and again and deal with the real issues that affect people,” he stated.
Assistant Representative of the UNFPA, Patrice LaFleur, in her remarks, also alluded to the importance of the provision of quality data in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in protecting the rights of peoples.
She said that reliable data make a big difference and that the information coming out of data collection can shine a light on certain trends. She said that health services can be prioritized and stressed that government planning is dependent on local information. La Fleur pledged the UNFPA’s continued support for the Bureau of Statistics in its march towards the 2012 census.
Chief Statistician Lennox Benjamin said that the Bureau is pleased to be associated with the workshop to mark World Population Day. He said that everyone should understand the importance of population data in daily life. He made the point that migration has been a major factor in recent years in tempering population growth.
The workshop also featured presentations by Mr. Sonkarley Beaie, Consultant GNBS, and Ms. Germene Stewart, Development Planner, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Ministry of Housing and Water.