Census preparations begin
Actual counting will begin a year from today, but already the Central Statistical Office is preparing for the Population and Housing Census 2000. Beginning May 12, 2000 at least 500 enumeration officers will be deployed throughout Belize to find out not only how many people live in Belize, but what ethnic group is largest, if more people live in the towns or rural areas, how many people have emigrated abroad, and even the number of disabled people in the community. To prepare for this massive undertaking, the National Census Committee, consisting of both government and non-governmental organizations, held their first meeting last week. The committee is developing census questions, strategies for conducting the head count and security measures for protecting the personnel in the field. Head Statistician Sylvan Roberts says during the last census in 1991 the majority of Belizeans were extremely cooperative but there were some problems in Belize City, particularly in the inner city and more affluent areas where people were hesitant to receive the enumeration officers. In terms of projected census results, Roberts says they expect the overall population of Belize to top 250 thousand compared to 189,392 in 1991. The last census showed a shift towards the rural areas with fewer people living in the towns, but this was attributed to increasing immigration from Central America. Roberts says this situation has now reverted back to the normal pattern of urbanization. He bases this on yearly labor force surveys which indicate most of these immigrants have been absorbed into urban areas over the past ten years. Sylvan says he expects the Mestizo population will continue to be dominant since emigration abroad continues, particularly from areas such as Dangriga. The 1991 census results were surprising since for the first time the Mestizos outnumbered the Creoles. Creoles had traditionally been the largest group but in ’91 they were only 29.8 percent compared to the Mestizos at 43.7. The number of Chinese, which was only point 4 percent in 1991 is expected to increase somewhat. However, Roberts says in societies like Belize it is always difficult to gauge ethnicity and it is critical that the categories used on the census be ones people are comfortable with. In 1980 the vague category of “mixed” which received a great many responses provided little insight into the nation’s true ethnic composition. Since then more specific categories have been introduced. Consultations with the public will be held throughout the coming year and suggestions for new census questions, or modification of existing ones, are welcome.
