'What is so hard in counting 50,000 people?’- Caller on national census
This is according to a caller to the Hot Seat radio show on ZBVI 780 AM on November 9, 2022.
The Virgin Islands last had a national census in 2010, which indicated the islands had a population of 28,054, of whom 23,491 lived on Tortola.
Current estimates put the population well over 28,000.
A national census was slated for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there was no monies allocated in the 2022 budget for a national census.
Even Haiti can get a census- Caller
“Let’s look at Haiti. Haiti got 12 million people and imagine we got 50,000 and we can’t [get a census]. Don’t you think something is wrong?
“Something is wrong, ok, because look at Santo Domingo. They got 9 million plus and they could tell you that. And we barely got 50,000 people and we can’t go forward and get that count. Something is wrong, ok,” the caller stated.
Former Premier Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), in his Budget Address on November 19, 2019, had said a national census is a critical undertaking and that the VI must become a data-driven society and make plans and decisions based on solid information.
Census very expensive- Raymond Phillips
Appearing before the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) late 2021, Director of the Central Statistics Office (DSCO) Mr Raymond Phillips had said a census is very expensive, requires many persons and consumes a vast amount of time to be completed.
According to the 2022 SFC report, Phillips said the estimated cost for the enumeration of the Virgin Islands population is $30 per household. Currently, he noted, the territory has approximately 15,000 households which add up to roughly $450,000.
“The field exercise could run for six months, and the estimated cost does not include the cost associated with safety measures for a safe interview process. This does not include the cost of handheld devices that would be used to do the interviews. There are also other costs associated with coding and editing and other personnel who are involved in the internal processes,” Phillips told the SFC.
Phillips also told the SFC he hopes consideration is given to increase the budget from $30 per household. He said the current amount does not serve as an incentive for census interviewers; adding that this would increase the budget even more. He stated that censuses are very challenging frustrating and sometimes even dangerous.
The DCSO also stated that compensation should come in to encourage maximum efforts.
“Unfortunately, it appears that patriotism no longer serves as a good incentive,” Phillips reportedly reportedly told the SFC.
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