A virtual event to signal the beginning of the 2020 Round of Population and Housing Census in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will be held on Tuesday August 3, 2021.

Beginning at 2pm, the programme will be broadcast on the CARICOM Facebook and Youtube platforms.

The programme will hear from Dr. the Hon Keith Mitchell, Grenada Prime Minister and Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Science and Technology in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet.

Other speakers will include CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Amb. Manorma Soeknandan, and representatives from the regional private sector and international development partner.

This Round of Census should have begun last year, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start. Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, The Bahamas and the Cayman Islands are to have their Census exercises this year.

In a message to mark the launch, CARICOM Secretary-General, Amb. Irwin LaRocque noted the circumstances under which the Census Round was being held. He pointed out that the Census served a key role in evidence-based decision making which was essential for efficient management of economic and social affairs, and for overall effective governance of societies.

“For this Census round, which is being held during a pandemic, countries are complying with the health regulations recommended by their respective authorities in the conduct of the exercise. For the first time, all countries intend to use Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing or some hybrid, including paper questionnaires, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing and Computer Assisted Web Interviewing.

The latter two techniques should offset the realities of the pandemic relative to the absence of face-to-face interviewing,” he said.
He called on “everyone across all countries” to cooperate with the National Statistical Offices and be counted. (CARICOM TODAY)