The National Housing and Population Census of 2022 began on Thursday. This exercise is Guyana’s largest national data collection exercise, which is conducted every 10 years.
When the census was launched earlier this month, President Dr. Irfaan Ali alluded to the fact that the census is “not just someone coming with a sheet of paper collecting data and that is the end of it…this is the future…much larger than just the collection of data.”
Rightly so the dynamics of Guyana’s population have changed significantly since the last census in 2012.
When the official data of the National Population and Housing Census 2012 census was released by the Bureau of Statistics the changes in the ethnic composition showed that the two main groups recording the highest percentage growth are the Amerindians and the mixed heritage groups. The numbers of each of these two groups have nearly doubled since 1980 and have almost offset the absolute decline noted for the same period in the two major ethnic groups. According to the report, the Bureau of Statistics notes that with the reduction in the size of the entire population, the relative shares of the ethnic groups have expectedly changed with the two groups (Mixed and Amerindians) which have been consistently growing now accounting for a greater share of the population at the expense of the two traditional dominant groups – the East Indian and African groups.
The population stood at 746,955 at the 2012 count which reflected a decline of 4268. Undeniably, migration played a major role in this decline. Migration has become deeply embedded in the psyche of Caribbean peoples over the past century and a half. According to World Bank data, it has evolved as the main avenue for upward mobility through the accumulation of capital – financial and social. Thus the propensity for migration is high and there is general responsiveness to the opportunities for moving whenever they occur. As a consequence, there is a tendency for Caribbean countries to lose a disproportionate number of educated and skilled persons through migration, with a potentially negative impact on small, developing states.
Globalisation has many complex effects, which will directly influence future trends in skilled migration from the developing world. However, it is time to explore solutions to maximize the benefits and minimize the losses encumbered. Initiatives need to be sought to retain qualified professionals and to encourage them to return from overseas.
It is here that we agree with President Ali when he pointed out that the data from the census would assist in guiding the Government in the development of policies to address a wide variety of issues affecting the country
To quote the president: “If, in the census, the data shows us that 70 per cent of our graduates are coming out in a particular area, but the country requires persons with this skillset in a different area, how then do we ensure that the policies create the incentive to create that shift in where the labour is focused…The census would not give us a labour market information system, but the census would give us a gateway through which we can formulate [that system] to meet our national development priorities.”
The data generated from the census will therefore help the Government in identifying various gaps in society that may require specific intervention.
It is important that once this is identified more ways can be derived to have skilled Guyanese return. This trend tends to introduce new skills, ideas, techniques as well as capital which are much needed for the growth and development of Guyana.
Chief Statistician and Census Officer at the Bureau of Statistics, Errol La Cruez has said, “even the most basic product which is the true population count is used as the benchmark and common denominator for assessing and tracking development”.
We agree with him.
