TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, CMC—Legislators have passed a law that will allow the authorities to impose fines on persons who refuse to share information during census data collection.
The Statistics Amendment Act (2023) allows fines of over US$5,000 when individuals and businesses refuse to share their information. Persons may also be imprisoned.
Director of the Central Statistics Office Raymond Phillips recently announced that many people are unwilling to share vital data with enumerators who are collecting it for the national census.
During the House of Assembly sitting earlier this week, it was revealed that businesses also refuse to share vital information.
While introducing the legislation, portfolio Minister Lorna Smith said it is a critical piece of legislation “designed to strengthen the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and enhance the accuracy and reliability of data collection.”
Other legislators supported the bill, stating that they understand the importance of strengthening the CSO so it can retrieve vital data the government needs for decision-making.
However, Opposition leader Ronnie Skelton cautioned that some businesses may not be able to pay fines as they may have yet to make significant profits.
“If you come to my business and tell me that you will charge me $5,000 if I don’t give you this information, I haven’t even made $5,000. I don’t know if it will help or be a deterrent to getting the information. A different approach is needed to get the information – let them know that if you need the trade license, you have to submit this information.” Skelton said.
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley supported the bill, saying the census information is needed to help the government secure international funding. Stakeholders require the census’s information, and Wheatley said the territory would likely miss essential funding opportunities without this information.
“If you’re going to attract donor funding, you’ve got to have data,” Wheatley said. “Data drives donors.”
Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer also supported the bill, but he said some government agencies also have difficulty sharing vital information, which must be addressed.
While supporting the new bill, another legislator, Myron Walwyn, said the BVI is becoming too punitive and developing a culture where every law has a punishment. He said more public education campaigns could have been done to inform residents of the importance of the national census and encourage them to participate.
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