Everyone counts

Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer

Neither 35-year-old Jennifer Brown* nor her spouse has an interest in being counted in the 2011 Population and Housing census, which begins today. Inclusion, Brown believes, will not affect their lives.

"I think there are more than three million people in Jamaica by now because from me little, me hear say is two point something million, so if them no count wi, it won't make a difference," she told The Gleaner.

But Merville Anderson, director of field operations at the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), said the theme for the four-month exercise, 'Everyone Counts You, Me, All a Wi!' highlights the importance of inclusion of every citizen of Jamaica.

"We need the information for planning in the country, policymaking. A lot of persons do not think that when they give the information it's going to be useful. How do we know that this is a community in which a school is needed, a health centre is needed? It's the information from the census that informs those decisions," she explained.

The census, the process of collecting, compiling, and publishing demographic, social, and economic data relating to a specified time for all persons in a country, is done every 10 years. However, for information to be collected respondents must allow census takers into their homes.

cooperation

"Householders should first ensure that census takers are properly identified before being allowed into their homes. Do not answer the questions until you have seen the ID," Anderson cautioned, pointing out that census workers are trained to undertake their duties effectively and professionally.

In past censuses, the workers have been challenged by lack of access to gated communities and apartment complexes and attacks by dogs.

"We're asking you for your cooperation. You have to open those gates and let the census takers in. We are asking you to welcome them," Anderson appealed.

It will be the first time that 20-year-old Shanique Williams, a Seventh-day Adventist worshipper, will be responding to a census taker. While she indicates her willingness to cooperate, she will not be able to participate if she is visited on a Saturday. However, consideration is given to Sabbath as well as Sunday worshippers.

"If you are a Seventh-day Adventist and you'd prefer us to come on a Sunday or Monday to Friday, that's okay. You are going to church on a Sunday morning, but in the afternoon, you can accommodate us, fine. It's not a nine to five, nor is it a Monday to Friday job," explained Anderson.

return calls

In order to give everyone the chance to be counted, the census workers vary the times of the visits and will even make return calls when necessary.

"If we do not find anyone at the dwelling, we leave a card to indicate that we visited. There will be a number on that card that you can call and inform us when is the best time to come, and we will accommodate that," Anderson said.

At the same time, she is encouraging respondents to cooperate with the census takers and answer the questions posed truthfully, indicating that there is no need to be concerned about a breach of confidentiality regarding the data provided.

"All our census takers have to sign the oath of confidentiality. We are not allowed to divulge any information we collect, we cannot present it in any manner that the individual can be identified," she said.

Mirko Morant, head of the Geographic Services Unit at STATIN, told The Gleaner that each census taker will be guided by a map outlining each enumeration district (ED).

"The map tells them where to begin, and how they traverse the area to be covered. The formation of the EDs does allow us to prevent duplication as the census takers are trained to canvas their EDs in order to avoid overlapping," explained Morant.

Approximately 6,000 census takers will be participating in Census 2011 being undertaken by STATIN and expected to end in July.

*Names changed upon request.