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VI census just 30% complete ahead of June 2024 deadline– Hon Lorna G. Smith

- Statistics Amendment Act 2023 proposes up to $5000 fine for lack of compliance
March 8th, 2024 | Tags: Lorna G. Smith HOA census Tortola Virgin Islands
Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Trade, and Labour, Hon Lorna G. Smith (AL) has urged persons in the Virgin Islands to take part in the national census, as the population census is far behind its deadline. Photo: GIS/File
Residents of the Virgin Islands have been urged to actively engage with enumerators during census activities and to participate wholeheartedly in all forthcoming surveys and data collection efforts as mandated by the Statistics Act. Photo: Facebook
Residents of the Virgin Islands have been urged to actively engage with enumerators during census activities and to participate wholeheartedly in all forthcoming surveys and data collection efforts as mandated by the Statistics Act. Photo: Facebook
The Statistics Amendment Act, 2023 is concerned with strengthening the Central Statistics Office and enhancing the accuracy and reliability of data collection for informed policy-making development in the VI. Photo: Facebook
The Statistics Amendment Act, 2023 is concerned with strengthening the Central Statistics Office and enhancing the accuracy and reliability of data collection for informed policy-making development in the VI. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Trade, and Labour, Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL) has urged persons in the [British] Virgin Islands to take part in the national census, as the population census is far behind its deadline.

Hon Smith was at the time speaking during the debates of the 2nd and 3rd Readings of a bill entitled Statistics Amendment Act 2023, at the Continuation of the Ninth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly on March 7, 2024.

The bill is concerned with strengthening the Central Statistics Office and enhancing the accuracy and reliability of data collection for informed policy-making development in the VI.

While speaking on the bill, Hon Smith said a key obstacle for the office has been the lack of compliance by individuals and entities in providing necessary data which compromises the quality and completeness of information collected.

She said that not only impacts the officer’s operational efficiency but also impacts the ability of the government to make evidence-based decisions that are vital for the territory’s progress.

More penalties for non-compliance 

As such, the bill is introducing increased penalties for current offenses, along with the introduction of administrative penalties and fines. According to the Minister, the penalties will bring benefits such as enhanced compliance, efficient enforcement, increased deterrence, and procedural fairness.

“Right now, we are supposed to finish by June, and we are only 30% of the way. We need to have that census completed for important reasons,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Premier said the initiative is to promote compliance and not to generate revenues, as the bill proposed up to a $5000 fine for those not complying with Government data collection efforts.

“I urge every resident of our islands to actively engage with enumerators during census activities and to participate wholeheartedly in all forthcoming surveys and data collection efforts as mandated by the Statistics Act,” Hon Smith said.

18 Responses to “VI census just 30% complete ahead of June 2024 deadline– Hon Lorna G. Smith”

  • SCB (08/03/2024, 09:08) Like (19) Dislike (2) Reply
    No one has come by our home and I don’t know how we can be included in the Census?
    • BUSY BEE (08/03/2024, 11:17) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      Ditto!

      I was never contacted during the last census as well.
    • Still SCB (08/03/2024, 13:34) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
      How does one “actively participate” if no one comes to our home to ask the questions for the Census? Where does one go (physically) to try to participate?
  • productivity (08/03/2024, 09:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Slower than last time. 2010 census report was issued in 2017. So, if 2020 census is 30% ready by June 2024, the report should be finished by 2019. Consider also that if there are about 10,000 households in the BVIs. At one form per household, census office has processed about 3000 forms between 2010 and now. That comes out to 750 forms processed per year, or something like five forms processed per day in a 150 work day year.
    • @productivity (08/03/2024, 09:48) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      Last time was manual. This time it's electronic so it shouldn't take long. When I did mine on the tablet it shows up in headquarters so it's a quick process. It's just that people are not cooperating and the enumerators have their regular jobs so it's only done on evenings and weekends. That's my opinion.
  • Well saw. (08/03/2024, 09:43) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    Lorna I like you but you are another failing politician, nothing you put your hand to get complete or good results..What happen to minimum wage report thay you should receive by March, its March now.. and all the other stuff. Seems like you are just talk and smarts.
  • resident (08/03/2024, 10:10) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    the fine is nonsense, the government has no right to know how much money i make or how much bathrooms my house have in
    • @resident (08/03/2024, 11:56) Like (9) Dislike (5) Reply
      . Is this the first census you are doing. Those are questions on several censuses. The salary is a range and not an exact amount. The data is required by govt to plan their budget and programs. Your name is not sent to the govt so there's no need to have any fear. If you live in the u.s your information is available to the govt. You can't say you not going to give it.
  • Real (08/03/2024, 10:38) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    The key obstacle of this effort is that the questions are intrusive and there is no consequence for the individuals collecting and using and divulging an individual's personal information. Lorna has some book sense, but absolutely no commen sense.
  • simple (08/03/2024, 12:46) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    DEPORT THOSE OUTSIDERS WHO REFUSE TO COOPERATE
    • Also SCB @simple (02/08/2024, 09:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      As SCB has twice said, “no one has come to my house” from the Census board, so “how can I actively participate” in the Census, if know one has come to ask us the questions? I went to SSB to find out where to go to take part, and no one I spoke with was able to tell me other than “they come to your house”.
  • Typical (08/03/2024, 12:52) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    And you wonder why we cant have anything nice here. Thick headed morons worried about census workers sharing their information. Have you ever thought that everyone who works at Inland revenue, NHI, and SSI already know how much money you make? But no lets make the census impossible to collect so we can all continue to live in the stone age.
  • Still asking (08/03/2024, 16:37) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Can anyone tell me how we go about participating in the Census? Please and thank you.
  • GateKeeper (08/03/2024, 23:01) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    $5000 for non-compliance? That is a SNAFU situation. The goal should be educating people on the importance of the Census. Does the honorable lady fining people for not providing info is going to yield accurate information. Is not the BVI a democratic society, not an autocratic society? The BVI is a small bedroom, 1x4 island, of approximately 30,000 people, so why can’t the statistic unit get the job done? It seems the Unit is the problem, not the people. Every census is the same problem, ie, they are incomplete, late, and information useless. Instead of fixing the real problem we are behaving in a dictatorial manner force feeding, punishing people to comply by fining them $5000. This is something which would likely happen in Russia, not a democratic society. What is next fining people for not registering to vote and not voting. When leadership failed to get the done done, we substitute poor leadership by fining people. The graduating universities of these people must be really proud of its graduates are they not?
    • Lessness (09/03/2024, 13:37) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      To GateKeeper, the comply or be fine action is a misguided effort. What law will people be violating? The misguided action is an example of ‘lessness’ , failed leadership. They want to fine people for their failed leadership. Leadership is a process which is related to but difference from management but two sides of a coin. Management action can be legislated, ie, wearing a belt, obeying the speed,, paying property taxes, operating a vehicle with insurance, etc . A leader motivates people to do the things which needs to get done but people don’t want to do. Our leaders have failed miserably. The USA with a population of Approximately 330, 000, 000 people can finish its census on time so that the information is useful and can be effectively used for useful purposes. The BVI has to threaten to fine people to get them to answer questions. Something is rotten in the state of the Denmark, the VI/BVI..When leadership failed we look for scapegoats instead of looking straight into the mirror and believing the reflections..This census fiasco is pure lessness. People dress to come to work to rest. The lack of leadership is glaring, the glaring like a deer in headlights is common. Some people become accuidental leaders trying to dabble in experimental leadership actions. Leadership experience is lacking and people are faking it till they make it..leadership must be earned and cannot be bought and takes time to develop skills,,develop the confidence and earn the invaluable experience.
  • guy hill (09/03/2024, 11:22) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Comply with the census.. or face consequences. What is the legislated law? Enforce it. Hmm.
  • not nice (10/03/2024, 09:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hon Smith - I think these people are giving you false information. The enumerator has never been around my neck of the woods.


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