Unpaid census takers bombard STATIN online press briefing with questions about outstanding payments

Workers employed by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) to conduct the September 2022 census flooded the YouTube platform with demands for payment, as the organisation's press briefing unfolded today.

The press briefing failed to get underway on the Teams platform as advertised, leaving some persons perplexed. When it started on YouTube some time after the scheduled 10:00 am start, unpaid workers began flooding the comments section with enquiries about their outstanding payments.

A May 2023 Gleaner article cited mounting frustration among census takers and supervisors contracted for their services for the 2022 Population and Housing Census who were having issues getting paid on time. They also noted that a backlog of money was owed to them.

Two months prior, Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clark, who has portfolio responsibility for STATIN, stated that a 100 per cent salary increase was to be offered to census takers to help motivate them to complete the project.

Urban census takers would then be paid $56,000 for travelling (up from $30,000); $400 per household for completed questionnaire (up from $200); and $800 per individual for completed questionnaire (previously $400).

Rural census takers were expected to receive $61,000 for travelling (moving from $35,000), and, similar to urban workers, $400 and $800 per completed questionnaire.

But unpaid workers took their frustrations to the platform this morning seeking answers.

“Need my money cuz me wuk hard for it and me need to know when me can get it cuz a piece a piece mi get money and it nuh have nuh use to me,” one person commented.

“Me want me money me work damn hard for it,” another said.

“What is happening to the census supervisors pay from 2022 we a work and all now we nuh get nuh money,” added another.

“A full time now fi Supervisors to get we money 24 Vr approved but no money Statin a tek we fi Fools,” one person commented.

“Sweep Questionnaire still deh pan mi system from November all now no check and 10 Sweep Vrs them no look pon,” one said.

“Mi need my money,” another comment stated.

“One question i am asking is when can i get my money for my 2 completed Eds,” said another.

“We don't care about the census we care about we did the work and not getting paid,” one said.

“People left because you guys are inconsistent,” another said.

“As a Jamaican citizen as believe my country has failed me and as a young individual I rather to be unemployed,” was another comment.

“Mi nuh really care bout ntn mi just Wah hear bout mi money,” read another comment.

“Looking so unbothered smh…. MONEY MI WANT!!” one unpaid worker demanded.

“Statin just come up with all different ways not to pay us,” read another comment.

Carol Coy, director general of STATIN, who gave an update on the census, and deputy director general Leesha Delatie-Budair, who joined her for the question-and-answer section, sought to clarify the issues surrounding non-payments of monies owed.

Workers have to complete visitation records (VRs) and once tablets are returned all final payments will be made, it was declared.

It was also explained that some visitation records have not been completed correctly and satisfactorily but “once this is done all payments will be made”.

Meanwhile, Coy said the main phase of the census that involved contract workers has been stopped, but STATIN personnel will still be going out in the field.

In March 2023 it was reported that STATIN was seeking 7,000 census takers but was only able to recruit 4,000 persons.

It is unclear how many persons are being affected by non-payment of outstanding sums.

- Carl Gilchrist

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.