Road Town, Tortola - Over 70 supervisors and enumerators affirmed an Oath of Office to administer and collect data for the Virgin Islands Population and Housing Census 2010.
The Census officers affirmed the Oath during a training session held on Friday and declared to faithfully and honestly fulfil their duties as outlined in the provisions of the Statistics Act, 2005.
As part of the Oath, officers confirmed that they will not disclose or make known any matters that will come to their knowledge by reason of their employment.
Speaking with the Department of Information and Public Relations, Director of the Development Planning Unit Mr. Raymond Phillips said, “It is important that our enumerators take this vow to confidentiality as they collect this important data. DPU realises the weight of the information to be collected and has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the information remains confidential.”
Mr. Phillips added, “We further want to assure the public that their information is safe and that enumerators, supervisors and other Census personnel are trained and equipped for the task at hand.”
Areas covered during the training exercise include the visitation record, the identification of different households in one dwelling unit, determining the head of the household and dealing with adverse persons.
During the two training sessions, DPU officials also explained question by question, the two questionnaires to be administered for the Virgin Islands Population and Housing Census 2010.
The Household questionnaire will solicit basic information on the housing units in the Territory such as the material and type of houses built, garbage disposal, water supply and electrical source. This section will also look at amenities, overcrowding, migration, crimes against the household and homelessness.
The Persons questionnaire focuses on the sex, age, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, educational attainment, employment status, disability, morbidity, income levels, internet access, fertility and information pertaining to Census day.
For the purpose of the census, enumerators will be dispatched in over 70 enumeration districts Territory-wide to conduct interviews with the public to complete the census questionnaires. Once completed, the questionnaires are compiled, codified, scanned, and finally analysed before a report is written.
The Territory’s execution of the Virgin Islands Population and Housing Census 2010 is managed by the Development Planning Unit which functions under the Premier’s Office. Information gained from the census will provide baseline information for government’s policy makers to make better informed decisions regarding the Territory’s social, demographic and economic conditions.
British Virgin Islands News