The Department of Statistics (STAT) and its 25 interviewers after three weeks of the household listing survey have visited 20 per cent of addresses (3,500) since February 1. The survey will continue for the next seven weeks or through mid-April.
Interviewers are pleased with the generally good cooperation that is being received from the community of Sint Maarten.
STAT is pleased with the response so far, and urges all persons not yet reached, to expect STAT interviewers on weekdays up to 8.00pm and throughout the weekends.
STAT would like to remind the community of the goals of the Household Listing Survey, which are to attain up-to-date information on the population size of the country, which enables both STAT and the Department of Civil Registry to better compare and explain the differences in their population numbers.
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 Department of Civil Registry. This last question is purely for comparison purposes, to determine how many of the registered population is also resident on the Dutch side of the island, Sint Maarten.
STAT informs the general public that its internal staff members are conducting random checks within neighbourhoods on weekends. This is being done, to verify with households whether they were indeed interviewed and to ask about their experience with interviewers.
STAT therefore asks that household members inform one another once an interview has taken place for the Household Listing Survey, in order that everyone in the home is aware and can pass on this information to STAT staff.
STAT falls under the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication.
PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R, A STAT interviewer (right) with a homeowner (left) who pauses a moment during the process of being interviewed in connection with the household listing survey.