New law imposes fines for withholding census info
Amid the difficulty enumerators are facing with collecting census data from residents and businesses, elected leaders yesterday passed the Statistics Amendment Act (2023), which gives the authorities the right to impose fines on those who refuse to share information.
The law allows for fines in excess of $5,000 to be charged when individuals and businesses refuse to share their information. Persons may also be imprisoned.
Director of the Central Statistics Office Raymond Phillips, recently announced that many are unwilling to share vital data with enumerators who are collecting data for the national census.
During the House of Assembly sitting on March 7, it was revealed that businesses are also refusing to share vital information as well.
While introducing the legislation, portfolio Minister Lorna Smith said it is a critical piece of legislation “designed to strengthen the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and enhance the accuracy and reliability of data collection.”
Other legislators rose in support of the bill, stating that they understand the importance of strengthening the CSO so it can retrieve vital data the government needs for decision-making. However, Opposition leader Ronnie Skelton cautioned that some businesses may not be able to pay fines as they may not have made significant profits.
“If you come to my business and tell me that you will charge me $5,000 if I don’t give you this information, I haven’t even made $5,000. I don’t know if it’s going to help or be a deterrent to get the information. It needs a different approach to get the information – let them know that if you need the trade license you have to submit this information.,” Skelton said.
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley rose in support of the bill, saying the census information is needed to help the government secure international funding, as stakeholders require the kind of information gathered by the census. Without this information, Wheatley said the territory is likely to miss important funding opportunities.
“If you’re going to attract donor funding, you’ve got to have data,” Minister Wheatley said. “Data drives donors.”
Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer also supported the bill but he said some government agencies also have difficulty sharing vital information and this too must be addressed.
While supporting the new bill, D6 Representative Myron Walwyn said the BVI is becoming too punitive and is developing a culture where there’s a punishment with every law. He said more public education campaigns could have been done to inform residents of the importance of the national census and encourage them to participate.
“Going to fines all the time, the country is becoming too punitive. Do this or else, do that or else. What about saying, do this for this reason and this is how it benefits the country?” Walwyn questioned before adding that the fees proposed by the law are too high.
The Statistics Amendment Act (2023) was later passed in the House of Assembly with amendments.
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We all know this will be enforced in the same manner all the other so called laws here are. Nothing will come of this.
PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY.
Your income and health are not their business.
Did you know that these people coming around conducting the Census are VOLUNTEERS and DO NOT EVEN WORK AT THE STATISTICS DEPARTMENT??!?!
Your business would be in WhatsApp before the day out!!
If they want information on income they could liaise with Inland Revenue or Social Security Board.
As for health information, doctors would be sued if they released such must less to think anyone would tell the Census volunteers about their health.
They would have to make a special prison on an island for all who protects their privacy.
Have you participated to know all this? Why do you think almost every other country holda censuses?
Modern countries don’t hold a census. They just use statistics that are already available.
Thank you. Move on and stop the bs.
How can we withhold information if we haven’t seen hide nor hair of their enumerators?
Deport who wont cooperate if they are not from here
Xenophobic and racist comments like this should be prosecuted as hate crimes.
The joke is that Labour and Immigration know about most of the non-Belongers here. It’s those who claim special rights as Belongers (especially those who live outside the BVI) who need to be verified. We cannot go on giving free health care through NHI to persons who live outside the BVI (such as STT).
Is the very locals who aint want do it tho
Exactly! They trying to pin it on expats but locals don’t want share their info
we already know who all the outsiders are , just look for information with immigration . they have tonnes of paperwork on everybody and those numbers are well known.
Agree 100%. Deport those who don’t want to provide the information. They have to provide it where they came from
We need a Law that sue VIP for the potholes in damn roads
we have all the laws in the world, but we don’t enforce them so it’s pointless
this would only push people to lie but i guess
How can the US who has a million times the amount of people as the BVI get it done but a 30k population can’t? I’m sure not ever In the US does it so what happens there. I believe fining people definitely isn’t the solution. But without a good mail system it relies on people going door to door and doing it. I don’t blame the people I blame the inabilities to use data. 4 years is a long time and a small island like this shouldn’t take government that long to collect such data. Maybe google search what the US does when someone doesn’t input their data.
So I looked it up it’s a $100 fine and $500 fine for false claims. I believe when you don’t have a mailing system that goes house to house charge anything close or above that is crazy. Maybe 50/250 makes more sense but even then what do you have people going house to house saying you’ll be fined if you don’t do the census. Any talks of $5000 is a wild idea that only plays more into the idea that government is greedy. So maybe focus on getting it done then implementing fines makes way more sense. Have people go door to door leaving mail and then return the next day or week and then go from there.
That sounds too much like government having to be responsible for actually doing something. Just dump it on the taxpayers and threaten them where it hurts, in the pocket. Typical.
Can someone please give a link to the online form to complete the census. I can find it anywhere. Thanks.
Our BVI leaders (if you want to call them that) are cowards and bullies, ie pu$$!es and like any bully they will get a smack in the mouth. Just wait!
There should be a physical and online form & better mailing system. I agree that educating the population about the census is a more proactive approach. A $5000 fine is ludicrous. There is no penalty for not completing the census in the US; however, 998% of households are accounted for as a result of educational efforts in a timely manner. There are multiple avenues. One being sending an informative flyer with specifics for distribution in schools, churches, and employers.
They can take turns fauking themselves. Then maybe after I have laughed MAO I can give them a letter in my name
$5,000.00 is low. It should have been $10,000.00. You want to live in the BVIs but don’t want to cooperate?
If this is their plan for a census, what next…….
between 2000-2022 a census was done, there is still poor drainage on the road, poor street lighting, more potholes becoming crater. No increase in salaries to help pay for these dam high rent, and other mandatory bills, what next u want my draws…..
Jesus Christ man.
The NDP campaigned on Government in the Sunshine. They then wrote the Registry of Interest law for themselves. They never intended to obey the law and had it not been for the COI we would never have known what all of the members were doing or not doing. So my question is how dare this House decide to penalize people for not being forthcoming with information? What penalty was ascribed to them for not following the law they wrote for themselves? I haven’t heard of a penalty. But they are writing laws for people who don’t want or can’t give them the information they are looking for. This government has done nothing but make up projects for which the responsibility is given over to the taxpayers. They have no staffing to adequately bring on stream the online registration at the Accountant General’s office. They are killing off three ladies who work there with that. Now you have to file online. Another piece of rubbish in the name of going paperless and modernizing. I am waiting to see what we are getting from this government for our taxpayer dollars and they are now looking for more. I heard the honorable deputy premier say it was not a fundraising effort. But please tell me what it is if its not raising revenue for their extensive travel arrangements. Sick and tired of being sick and tired of these feckless people. They give a whole new meaning to leadership.
The spirit of Kim Jung Fahie is on them. Twist the people’s arm.
Two sides to every equation lets see government employees and ministers fined for screwing up.
What happens to the right to privacy? Does it go out the door when government hoping,wishing before daring its citizens and residents
When tge government lockdown the people, who is tasked with feeding, clothing and taking care of their medical. The same government has to do such, because the will infringe of the rights of the people. Now, does that make sense? For three months if that’s the time period for the crime, tge government will spend more than 5k. Then the citizens can intern sue the government.