KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is assuring that global best practices are being utilised to address the challenges arising in the 2022 Population and Housing Census, which is ongoing.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Director General, Carol Coy, described developments relating to Jamaica’s 15th Census as “unprecedented”.

While the introduction of tablet computers has been a significant feature in improving the process, Coy outlined that major challenges encountered in the data-collection phase included the resignation and retirement of key personnel and the fact that persons were less inclined to take up “more strenuous and short-term jobs” such as data collection, owing to a “tight labour market”.

There were also privacy and security concerns, the issue of the proliferation of gated communities, the lack of cooperativeness of some respondents as well as issues relating to training and payment delays.

These challenges led to an extended data-collection phase and the introduction of a short-form questionnaire.

“Supported by our international development partners, STATIN is taking all reasonable measures to preserve the count and ensure that the key aspects [of the Census] are not compromised. Several steps are being taken to assess the extent of the under coverage, and appropriate actions will be taken to address the issues encountered,” Coy said.

The director general further reported that the Census has been conducted in approximately 70 per cent of the enumeration districts.

She said the data-collection phase using contract workers has ended, and the next phase of the process involves post-enumeration activities, continued assessment of under coverage and supplemental data collection exercises by STATIN, as needed.

“These activities are informed by recommendations from the global statistics community,” Coy emphasised.

She further noted that the issues facing this round of the Census were a major discussion item at several international conferences, including the United Nations Statistical Commission and the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community.

“In response to these challenges, the global statistical community has provided new methodological guidelines for assessing under coverage and data quality as well as enhanced technical support for small area estimation. STATIN has been involved in several of these initiatives at the global and regional levels and has also implemented several of the solutions suggested,” the director general said.

She noted that STATIN is also receiving technical support from the United Nations Population Fund, the Latin American Demographic Centre and the Statistical Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The entity has also hosted one technical assistance mission.

-JIS