and they collected all their materials back…

micevan1l6

Enumerators (census-takers) expressed their disgust and dismay yesterday after turning up at the Bureau of Statistics Annex, High Street, only to receive half of their contracted monthly salaries after six weeks of grueling work.Enumeration exercise commenced on Census Day, September 15, 2012, and was projected to last for an initial period of six weeks. It only recently concluded. National Census Day was conducted at a cost of some US$4M.“They have the majority of money for us. When we turned up they give us a $14,000 cheque and $2,000 in C-point. My supervisor now telling me that we have to wait until the budget, and we all know the budget has nothing to do with this situation,” one woman said.Some enumerators who turned up from East Bank Demerara also complained bitterly since they were told to return tomorrow for a portion of their earnings.Bureau of Statistics Annex where enumerators received a portion of their contractual sum.“The contract states you had to work six weeks with a $28,000 retaining fee. Persons had to work to pay themselves. Lo and behold we only getting $14,000 and nothing else, we are being told. It was $120 per form and $120 per household. If an institution was done it was $1,000.” Enumerators collective agreed. “They told us we will be paid for all work completed. Now that its complete there is a problem!”According to another woman, “They make people update all those maps, update all those buildings, put in all the businesses and this is how they are treating us, and they collected all their materials back…They didn’t even call a meeting to inform us that we won’t be able to collect all our money until whatever time.”Other issues cited were the unavailability of the forms. Some enumerators were not given other stocks to complete their work. Some were without envelopes, paper, erasers and pencils.They stated that the fact that more than 200 enumerators had quit in just two weeks told a sordid tale.According to the Bureau, the Census is conducted every ten years. Enumerators (census-takers) visit every household in every part of the country to administer questionnaires that collect social and economic information and data on the population.Attempts to contact Chief Statistician/Census Officer Lennox Benjamin at the Bureau of Statistics Annex, High Street, failed.