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Central Statistics Office in need of enumerators to complete census

A section of Tortola. (BVI News photo)

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) commenced a search for interested persons to serve as temporary enumerators for the territory’s ongoing census exercise.

According to a bulletin issued by the office on Wednesday, October 23, enumerators are needed for the West End vicinity.

Persons were invited to apply through the Virgin Islands government website or via email to [email protected]. Applications can be collected from the CSO directly at the Raphael Stoutt Building, Wickham’s Cay 1, in Road Town.

This recruitment campaign follows reports from the Director of the CSO, Raymond Phillips, that persons were being uncooperative and unkind to the enumerators. Phillips stated in June this year that he hoped to complete the census by this year, following the implementation of legislation forcing individuals to provide information to enumerators.

He added, at the time, that the census was 40 percent complete and hoped to have it finished within six months of the law being passed. Enumerators had been in the field since last year but were yet to wrap up the data collection exercise because many residents had been unwilling to share information.

The law in question empowers authorities to ticket residents who choose to withhold their data from enumerators.

Uncooperative persons will be given a seven-day notice and can choose to provide the census information during this time. If they still refuse to share their information after seven days, they will be ticketed. Instead of $5,000, which lawmakers initially proposed as a penalty, persons may be fined $3,000 for withholding the information.

Phillips also stressed that enumerators will not misuse personal information collected from residents, adding that such persons would face criminal charges.

He emphasised that the data collected will help the government make informed decisions that will benefit the entire community. In addition to the government, Phillips said businesses, researchers, and students also rely on the information that will be derived from census data.

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7 Comments

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  1. MD says:

    Why are persons reluctant to answer the questions? I did mine since May last year. This is ridiculous. I took the tablet answered the questions and clicked submit. I don’t even think the enumerator was able to see the information. It is not asking for exact salaries etc just a range. WTH is alyo problem. Every country does it. In some countries they don’t need to send enumerator because they have all your information whether you realize it or not. Chupes.

    Like 8
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  2. numbers says:

    They didn’t come by my house yet, so I know for sure their numbers going to be wrong.

  3. Sour sop says:

    The populace does not understand the reasons for the census

    2. There is not enough BVIslanders willing to do the job
    3. When Belongers of various nationalities accepted the job some of them were never called
    4. The BVI people curssing the agents who come with different accents and have attitudes with them
    Racism
    Prejudice
    Discrimination iare going to be the demise of this beautiful little country .

    Too much division

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  4. ... says:

    It should be voluntary. You put the cart before the horse. Why should people fill it out? Answer that to them and they will do it. You need a certain type of people to go into peoples yard not the dum bass type sorry I imagine bald headed self righteous people to be arguing with someone in their own yard.

    Any strife rile up off my turf Id smooth it over and excuse myself. People become hyped and anxious from being approached by a stranger you have to have compassion for that job.

    That is why the jehovas witness have problems some are too self righteous.

    Like 1
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  5. Sour Sop says:

    Education is key

    The census provides information for the government to be able to run public services
    Allocate funding
    Develop policies
    Plan where resources go
    Communicate plans for the future of the countyr

    Ignorance and blindside prejudice is killing some of you

    Like 4
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  6. Resident says:

    @Sour sop Since the reasons you mention don’t really seem to happen here, people may not see the point.

    Like 2
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  7. Enforcement? says:

    Once again laws passed with zero enforcement. How about reporting on how many fines were issued? How about reporting on how many people simply ignored the fines like they ignore tickets from the police. This place is a joke where NOTHING is ever enforced. GTFOH hiring more census workers. Chupes

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