Census postponed until 2021

(CNS): Finance Minister Roy McTaggart confirmed Thursday night that the national census, which had been due to begin in October of this year, has been postponed. As last week’s session of Finance Committee was in its final stages, McTaggart said that the census, which is suppose to happen every ten years, would now begin in 2021, though a date had yet to be fixed.

The Economics and Statistics Office has been considering whether or not to go ahead with the 2020 Cayman Census ever since the COVID-19 pandemic caused the country to lock down and ongoing social distancing measures were imposed.

The date of the national count and survey of the entire population is not a legal requirement so the ESO is free to move the date. The ten year timeline is traditional and a global standard but is not mandated.

While the premier previously said he could not see any reason why the census could not take place, he pointed out that the COVID-19 border shutdown and evacuation flights could lead to artificial results.

There is no official data available for the current headcount in Cayman but the population had been estimated to be more than 70,000 at the start of this year. But given the significant number of people who have now left the islands and taking into account those who have returned, current estimates put the population at around 60,000.

The ESO has already suspended its Spring Labour Force Survey, which had been set to take place in March, and will likely now move straight to the fall survey. That document, which will probably not be released until next year, will be the only thing that comes close to a headcount for 2020.

Meanwhile, the Finance Committee heard that the Compendium of Statistics for 2019 is finished and due to be published shortly.

The census itself, however, covers much more than a population headcount as it examines how people live, asking a raft of questions relating to people’s socioeconomic status.

The now very outdated 2010 national census is on the ESO website here.