Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh signed the Census Order earlier this week and it has since been published in the Official Gazette declaring the 15th September, 2022 as Census Day in Guyana
The signing of the order followed the approval by the National Assembly for supplemental funding of G$2 billion to aid in the execution of the Census.
The declaration of Census Day allows the Bureau of Statistics to count the population at a specified point in time and marks the commencement of a three-month long enumeration period for the 2022 National Population and Housing Census.
A Population & Housing Census is a complete count of the population, which is conducted every 10 years and provides detailed data on population size, age structure, educational attainment, labour force, housing, and many other socio-economic characteristics.
Guyana’s last Census was conducted in 2012, and since then, there have been many changes across the length and breadth of the country.
The changes, the Ministry said, include the population size, composition, economic activities, access to social services, maternal health, food security, agricultural activity and education attainment, among other areas of change.
The Census, Guyana’s largest national data collection exercise is more than just a headcount, as it plays a critical role in evaluating the changes.
The data collected during the 2022 Census will contribute towards chartering the course of national development over the next ten years.
The Ministry said the data is extremely valuable to users at all levels, including Government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students, researchers and international agencies.
It should be noted that Census data is collected, analyzed, and made available in an aggregated format, while ensuring that individual information is treated with the strictest of confidence. Provisions under Chapter 19:09 of the Statistics Act ensures that the data is only used for analytical purposes and that any individual data is protected and never made public.
Meanwhile, among some of the preparatory works being undertaken by the Bureau of Statistics are the establishment of temporary regional offices, finalization of data collection tools, training of approximately 3000 temporary personnel and the rolling out of a public education and awareness campaign.
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