The Department of Statistics (STAT) says 60 per cent of known addresses have been visited and there is four weeks left to complete the household listing fieldwork.
STAT interviewed Keith Franca recently who stated the following: "My participation in the survey was important for all us living here to benefit from improved public services.
"The interview was fast and lasted less than eight minutes. The interviewer asked very basic information, and not even my name. In any country, statistics are crucially important to services and policy," Keith Franca pointed out.
The Department of STAT is experiencing great difficulties to access households residing in some privately-owned and gated apartment and condo complexes.
In some cases, STAT is being told about a privacy clause whereby owners and tenants have an obligation to have their privacy protected.
STAT is emphasizing that the legal base for the household listing survey is the national Statistics Ordinance (AB 2013, GT no.450). This ordinance makes no provision for such privacy clauses within management company contracts, and therefore no distinction between residents will be made.
Article seven of the ordinance says that if individuals do not comply by cooperating with the interviewers of STAT who are acting according to the ordinance, this would be considered a derelict of duty punishable by up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to Naf.5,000.
All residents of Dutch Sint Maarten are obliged to cooperate with providing the data to STAT for the Household Listing Survey, in order for population related statistics to be produced.
The questionnaire is not invasive, but is rather short and only takes less than 10-minutes. Data collected are basic demographic information from each household member.
The questionnaire consists of a short list of questions, related to the age, gender, country-of-birth and nationality of each member of the household.
Persons will also be asked to verify their address, and number of units on each property as well as if they are registered at the Civil Registry Department.
STAT interviewers are approaching homes up to 8.00pm each day and on weekends.
STAT falls under the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Interviewer carrying out an eight minute interview for basic information with Keith Franca.