KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) this morning said that the previously delayed Housing and Population Census will take place in April 2022.

The census which was initially scheduled to take place this April was postponed as result of the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Director General of STATIN Carol Coy while speaking at a quarterly briefing held earlier today said that a pilot phase for the census is scheduled to begin next month.

“I am pleased to announce that data collection for the pilot phase of the Census will begin in February of this year. The pilot phase is a fundamental part of the census planning process. It allows for a comprehensive test of all census processes. Data will be collected from a sample of dwellings selected from all fourteen parishes,” she said, urging householders in the selected dwellings to cooperate with census takers.

The housing and population census provides information on the size of the population in areas such as age, sex, religion and education. The last census was done in 2011.

Coy said that the pilot phase which will include a smaller number of census takers is expected to run for a six-week period and is to also engage the use of technology in the data collection process

 “STATIN has converted its data collection for its household surveys to tablets. We [therefore] will be using tablets for the census,” she stated.

Kellaray Miles