PR – The public is being advised that the Central Statistical Office will begin enumeration for the 2021 National Population and Housing Census from Nov. 1, 2021.
The start date, which was tentatively rescheduled to the October 15, 2021, was further delayed because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, administrators believe that this delay was in the best interest of everyone, as enumerators will be going out into the communities when the risk of contracting the virus is minismised. The Central Statistical Office is encouraged by the rate of COVID-19 recoveries and the reduction in active cases.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, we are now reviewing our protocols and procedures for field staff to further ensure that the public can be safely enumerated and that our field staff are protected. Once this is finalised we will inform the public of the further measures adopted.
The public is reminded that our main mode of enumeration is telephone interviewing. However, to be able to execute this mode, the enumerator will be doing a complete listing of buildings and households in the various enumeration districts in each parish. Basic information will be collected, including contact numbers where available. The enumerators will then be able to conduct the full household interview at a later date via the telephone. The second mode for data collection will be face-to-face interviews, which will capture households who were not or cannot be interviewed via the telephone. This mode would only be activated when it is necessary and safe to do so.
The enumerators will operate in strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols and can be easily identified by their safety jackets and an identification card. Each enumerator will also leave a contact card with each household visited, which will include his/her name and the official contact number assigned to him/her by the Central Statistical Office. The household should therefore expect a call from this enumerator, who will use the official number on the card. In cases where no one is at home when the enumerator visits, he/she would leave a call back card.
The Central Statistical Office will continue to make an important appeal to the public to cooperate with the census enumerators by providing a telephone contact number at which they can be easily contacted. Ideally, the contact number provided should be that of the member of the household who is most knowledgeable about the household and can provide information about its other members. In accordance with our Statistical Act and the soon-to-be enacted Census Regulation of 2021, the information provided is strictly confidential and cannot be disclosed to any unauthorized individuals.
The full cooperation of all residents of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique is needed as we continue to forge ahead to start the enumeration process from Nov. 1. We continue to appeal to members of the public to demonstrate their civic duty and patriotism by participating in this very important nation building activity. During this period, information is critically important in informing policies and plans to aid in our country’s recovery from the impact of the pandemic, to foster sustainable development and to build resilience.
Today, Oct. 15, 2021, marks the thirteenth observance of Caribbean Statistics Day, under the theme: “Leave No One Behind…Everyone One Counts.” This theme, which advocates the importance of a census and the need for everyone to be counted, also promotes unity, inclusion, and equality, which is essential for achieving sustainable development.
A census is the most important statistical undertaking of a country as it gives an opportunity to everyone to have an equal say in the decision-making process of the country. We must ensure that the information provided by everyone is counted because we all count. We must also underscore the important role statistics has played and continues to play in shaping our lives and our future.
As we celebrate this special day, Grenada joins the whole of CARICOM in wishing everyone a Happy Caribbean Statistics Day.
