When I came home this summer I saw the banners and signs around town extolling the first ever nationwide economic census.
In the Tribune on Friday, there was an article on page 2 that said the purpose of the census was to provide a "detailed and comprehensive enumeration of all privately owned businessess throughout the islands of the Bahamas".

Today in the Tribune on page 3 there is an article entitled:
"Business owners reluctant to share data for Census."

The article talks about why many businesses are not co-operating, one reason being "for one thing, the questions go too far."

According to a Department of Statistics representative, the census will let the government "find out the number of businesses we have and to update our Business Register Frame and to provide a benchmark for our national accounting system."

One anonymous business owner said "He and other business owners said they are worried that their personal details will end up being exposed for all to see, as "nothing is confidential in the Bahamas."

I've heard of a couple business owners who are reluctant to share data for the Census, echoing the above mentioned fears, but also there is a suspicion this Census is paving the way for an income tax.

What do you think about this Census? Any business owner here on BI got an opinion on this?

most probably are not paying NIB

The Department of Statistics should be able to just go to the Business Registry to find out how many businesses exists what type of business they are conducting, who are the owners, how many staff there are etc etc. All of this info is already in government computers so why are they reinventing the wheel and doing stupid double work.

The Department of Statistics should be able to just go to the Business Registry to find out how many businesses exists what type of business they are conducting, who are the owners, how many staff there are etc etc. All of this info is already in government computers so why are they reinventing the wheel and doing stupid double work.

i was thinking the same thing

The Department of Statistics should be able to just go to the Business Registry to find out how many businesses exists what type of business they are conducting, who are the owners, how many staff there are etc etc. All of this info is already in government computers so why are they reinventing the wheel and doing stupid double work.

Man dis busy work. School out so dey need ta create fake summer jobs for some kids so they come up wit a waste money project....

Man dis busy work. School out so dey need ta create fake summer jobs for some kids so they come up wit a waste money project....
BOL. Boy ya'll cynical hey. Not that I have an argument for the census.

The Department of Statistics should be able to just go to the Business Registry to find out how many businesses exists what type of business they are conducting, who are the owners, how many staff there are etc etc. All of this info is already in government computers so why are they reinventing the wheel and doing stupid double work.

wonder how many of those govment computers actually work, least properly.

wonder how many of those govment computers actually work, least properly.
There are also hard copies of all his info. Everyone doing business fills out an application to get a business name and business license.
Besides, if their computers don't work then how are they going to process the info from the national eco census.
This country is is desperate need of a national plan! We seem to be on auto pilot on a slow steady course to nowhere!

There are also hard copies of all his info. Everyone doing business fills out an application to get a business name and business license.
Besides, if their computers don't work then how are they going to process the info from the national eco census.
This country is is desperate need of a national plan! We seem to be on auto pilot on a slow steady course to nowhere!

Sadly...this is very tru. It seems that the aire of bureauocratic pomposity that our government projects is more important to them than the actual mechanics of running the people's business as they were hired to do.:tdown:

There are also hard copies of all his info. Everyone doing business fills out an application to get a business name and business license.
Besides, if their computers don't work then how are they going to process the info from the national eco census.
This country is is desperate need of a national plan! We seem to be on auto pilot on a slow steady course to nowhere!

15 years later .. they aint get back to me on one licence plate i get of one car that hit and ran from crashing into my vehicle .. yeah they keep great records :D

Well, I'm here to be the lone contrarian.

If nothing is kept secret in the Bahamas then why refuse to share such information with the government. Besides, it is the government's right to ask and get such information. I'm certain business licenses don't come in cereal boxes.

In fact, I am amazed by the pomposity, absurdity and out right disregard for authority that Bahamian business owners seem to display in response to a request that the government by all right could demand and even force. This is like refusing to provide two forms of government issued ID and asserting that one is enough and you are only going to provide one.

I would agree, however, this is an absolute waste of the Bahamian government's time and resources. Because they aren't going to do anything if the businesses refuse to comply. So why attempt to show any level of aptitude when its only for show. This should've never been a request. They should shut down every business that refused. Bahamians have no respect for authority because there is no authority willing show their authority.

The Department of Statistics should be able to just go to the Business Registry to find out how many businesses exists what type of business they are conducting, who are the owners, how many staff there are etc etc. All of this info is already in government computers so why are they reinventing the wheel and doing stupid double work.
They een gat dat information. . .dem spose-ta have it. . .but teen te in a process currently ta tell who it really has in its employ. . .cos so many people who were employed and have left. . .are still gettin paid!!!!! Dat whole ting is in an unholy mess!!!

Bouy, government een know ha many people it has employed. . .much less who's employed in da private sector!!!

Non of dem sectors are keepin good records. . .government by slackness. . .and I suspect da private sector mostly by design!!

Govenment finally realized dat it must engage in makin data driven decisions or continue to be "hoodwinked" by its own "slick" operators or cheatin private sector companies who do not want to pay their fair share of national infrastructural coast as well as benefits for workers!

Government is gettin grin by dem bouys from NIB ta subsidized meds . . . inflated expenditure for salaries etc. :hammer:


Nah bout dem private sector companies dat say dem een know ha they information ger be used! Duh. . .ha could ya use knowing ha many employees dem have and what dem paying out fer they upkeep. . .etc!!

I deduced dat dem companies who "*****en" mussie dem bad azz one who been doin shed ta they employees and een wan nobody know wha dem bein doin!!

provide the information...it helps the entire Bahamas...

I have filled out these census forms (not personally) for all of my companies. I really don't remember seeing much questions that they shouldn't already have the answer to somewhere. Though there might have been one or two where I answered, "none of your damn business"!
My thing is, If they can't organize, manage or retrieve the info they have now how the hell are they going to do it with the census info.

I have filled out these census forms (not personally) for all of my companies. I really don't remember seeing much questions that they shouldn't already have the answer to somewhere. Though there might have been one or two where I answered, "none of your damn business"!
My thing is, If they can't organize, manage or retrieve the info they have now how the hell are they going to do it with the census info.

That makes sense.

What if they say that they need money to improve the effectiveness of the police force - even though their current operations are corrupt and inept. Would you say "No - if you can't organize and police with your current forces - how will you do it with more forces??"

Or if you get arrested and give the police your statement - then the district attorney asks you the same questions the police asked you, then the judge asks you the same questions that the police and the district attorney asked you - knowing full well that they have access to your police statement and don't need to ask you again. Would you be so brazen, and insolent, to tell the authorities that they don't need to ask you the same questions twice??

Do you except anyone else in any other capacity to comply rather than complain?? I'm sure you would. I don't care if the government is wasting my time. For me, as long as the government is doing something rather than nothing, I will comply. So when things go wrong - I know who to blame. When the government can't do as it feels is sufficient - I know who to blame. When Bahamians complain about a government in a coma - I know who to blame.

Thanks.