Census is a key tool for national planning & policy – Dr Singh

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Monday described Guyana’s 2022 National Population and Housing Census as a “mammoth” exercise, emphasising its critical role in guiding government’s planning and policy.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony in the Lula Room of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Dr Singh said the census is “a comprehensive compilation of data on every single household and every single individual in Guyana” and represents a “vast” exercise that provides a high-level summary of trends.

With the preliminary results now out, a more comprehensive report will soon be available for download, and the analysis of the collected data is ongoing. This work will eventually lead to the preparation, publication, and release of a final report.

Dr Singh emphasised that the findings, along with the upcoming detailed reports, validate trends already known or believed to be happening in the country.

“Not only does the data corroborate what we know to be happening in our country, but the data that would have been generated from this census will form an extremely valuable input for policymaking for the future,” he said.

The minister highlighted several key trends revealed by the census:

• Region Three has emerged as the second most populous region, reflecting the opening of new lands and allocation of house lots.
• Building stock has increased 42 percent over the past decade, rising from 219,509 to 311,742 structures, including residential, industrial and commercial buildings.
• The foreign-born population is growing, with many individuals arriving as investors, workers, or students.

Dr Singh stressed that the census data is not merely numbers, but a foundation for evidence-based decision-making and national planning.

“It is extremely important for us to know where we are and for us to set targets because we want to deliver more and that requires good quality data,” he said.

He also underscored the government’s ongoing efforts to make Guyana a more attractive and hospitable place for its citizens.

“We have been investing a lot of effort to make the country a more hospitable and attractive place for Guyanese nationals to live, work, invest, save, earn, and retire,” he said, pointing to investments in economic opportunities and improvements in social services.

Dr Singh concluded that the census provides the guidance needed for future policy, growth, and development.

“Many of these trends, including new housing and industrial development, should not take anyone by surprise.”

“What is important is that we now have high-quality data to guide our decisions and plan effectively for the future,” Dr Singh said.