Pat Roxborough, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU -
THE STATISTICAL Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is remaining silent on its plans for Census 2001, at least until November, when it tries to convince all Jamaicans to be counted.
The plan is expected to address a host of issues including the impact that the deadly HIV/AIDS virus will have on the counting exercise as well as the methodology that will be used to guarantee its validity.
"All we can say now is that we are working diligently to finalise and fine-tune our planning process. As soon as this package is complete we will be more than willing to answer these questions...," said Dr. Fitz Russell, STATIN's executive director.
The last census, which was taken in 1991, counted 2.5 million Jamaicans with more than 50 per cent in the capital city Kingston.
The proliferation of squatter settlements and the rise of residential communities outside of the Corporate Area have since changed the island's demography.
The national census, which is taken every 10 years in Jamaica, is an important planning tool used by policy-makers and forms the basis of much of the economic and social analysis of the country. As such, it is being eagerly awaited by politicians like Central Clarendon's Member of Parliament, Mike Henry, who aspires to lead the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the future.
"I hang my political career on the fact that, if you don't get your national identity, your population count right, your country will ultimately deteriorate," said Mr. Henry, who raised the issue in Parliament earlier this year.
Mr. Henry, who contends that the 2.5 million figure quoted in official statistics is wrong, told The Sunday Gleaner that he didn't think that November would give STATIN enough time to conduct the census properly in time for next year.
"You are talking about a host of issues here, people are mistrustful and are not going to be willing to give up detailed information about themselves if they don't understand the importance of the census. Enough promotion is not being done," he said.
Dr. Russell would not comment on that, however, except to say that preparations had been going on for some time now and that pilot questionnaires had already been put to some sections of the public.
