President Ali receives first copy of 2022 Census Report ahead of public launch

President Irfaan Ali on Monday received the first copy of the Preliminary Report from the Guyana National Population and Housing Census 2022 from Deputy Census Officer and Deputy Chief Statistician Vanessa Profitt, ahead of its public release at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre later in the day.

President Ali commended the Bureau of Statistics for the successful execution of the census and highlighted the importance of the data in shaping informed policymaking and guiding public investment decisions. Senior Minister in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, and Chief Statistician Errol La Cruez were also in attendance.

Finance Minister Dr. Singh, speaking previously on the census, confirmed that Guyana experienced significant population growth. He assured that the preliminary results would be made public before the end of 2025, emphasising the government’s commitment to a timely release.

The Bureau of Statistics, in a statement in 2024, disputed claims that delays in publishing the 2022 census results were due to political interference. It said the legal framework guarantees its independence, with work guided by scientific principles and international statistical standards.

The statement attributed any delays to “considerable challenges encountered during this census round,” noting that similar delays were experienced in other Caribbean countries including Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Dominica, and St. Lucia. Factors such as respondent suspicion, apathy, and post-COVID fatigue contributed to the slower enumeration process.

The release of the preliminary census report is expected to provide detailed insights into population growth and demographics, which will inform future planning and development policies across Guyana.