administrative registers & register based population census sonia jackson caricom census...

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Administrative Registers & Register Based Population Census

Sonia JacksonCARICOM Census Symposium

Radisson Grenada Beach Resort

May 27, 2014

CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May 2014


2 Table of Contents

Rationale for the use of Administrative Databases in Statistics

A brief look at some administrative databases The population register Comparison of the mapping of the data collection

systems at the Electoral Office of Jamaica and STATIN Suggested solutions Conclusion


3 Why use administrative registers?

Cheaper? Easier? Lower response burden? More reliable? Rational?


4 Register based data collection in related areas

Long history of collection of vital events - births, marriages and deaths

Causes of death Electoral voters lists Tax Registration & Drivers’ Licence Other social sector registers – National Insurance Scheme,

National Housing Trust, PATH Programme, Employment Register, Persons with Disabilities, etc.

5 How are administrative registers created? Direct data collection as in the case of the Electoral Office

Data Collected include:- biometric data – photograph and finger prints

- Name, address, sex, date of birth, height & other distinguishing marks, signature

Indirect data collection – data collected include name, address, sex, age,

TRN or other unique registration number, date of birth (if required)


6 What are the current issues with administrative registers?

Each register has similar base data but they are not all connected

The Tax Administration System has begun the use of the TRN – simplifying the creation of PIN within the system – the TRN is now the Drivers Licence Number

The registration of vital events need to be modernized and the respective data bases linked

There are no standards pertaining to the collection, storage and processing of the information emanating from these registers

Priority is not given to the management of the data for statistical purposes – statistical output is the secondary activity

Personal data are not always validatedCARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May 2014


7 Rationale for the Population Register & Census Based Administrative System

Costs Administrative registers are sufficiently

developed Growing need for statistics Increasing demand for a national ID system

with unique PIN for each person & biometric data – an out of a population register

Adverse data collection environment


8Prerequisites of a Population Register Support for the implementation must come from the highest political

level;

The population register is an ICT driven activity with a robust database and adequate secure communication with the Registers in the Departments/Agencies that input the data and those that use the data

Each person must be assigned a unique identifier called a personal identification number (PIN) based on and agreed algorithm;

All buildings must be uniquely identified;

Households must also be uniquely identified;

There needs to be harmonization of concepts and definitions used in the statistical system

Legislation


9 Jamaica - Where are we?

Focus is on the creation of the National ID System (NIDS) Decisions taken to date:

There will be a central data base with connectivity to the other data systems

Each person will be assigned a unique PIN in the data base The PIN will be an algorithm consisting of 16 digits Biometrics, photographs, signatures and addresses will be

collected for each person Input will be from RGD – births, marriages, deaths, etc.;

PICA – citizenship, MLSS – work permits Access will be to agencies, public & private, who need to

verify individuals


10 Some issues to be resolved for NIDS The governance structure of the database, the linkages, the

management and where it will reside; In the case of children – at what age are the biometrics to

be taken and included on the files; The frequency of the renewal of the cards; The Electoral Office already has a database of the adult

population with biometrics – the Electoral Law restricts the use of the data;

Can the country afford and maintain two similar data bases?


11 Population Register ?

The same body of work required for the NIDS is the same for the Population Register;

In a Population Register the register of buildings and addresses have to be maintained on a current basis;

For statistical purposes the records must be structured so that geographic information and classifications can be made;

It is highly recommended that all buildings, commercial and residential, and households be geo-referenced for ease of identification and uniquely identified


12 Issues Cont’d The Ministry of Education is moving towards each child having a “child

passport” with photograph and school records moving through the education system;

The Ministry of Health is looking at establishing a patient care system island with a national health card;

The Data Protection Law is still in the early drafting stages; The Registrar General’s Department needs to be modernized including the

digitization of the records for at least the past 100 years; How will NIDS impact the operations and the laws under which the various

Agencies operate; How will the data be collected and validated for the entire population at the

initial stages; How will continuous updates be entered in the system.


13 Brief look at electoral registration

Registration is continuous Public appeals made in May and November each year to up

date the voters’ lists – with changes in addresses and movement

The island is divided into: 14 parishes ( Kingston and St. Andrew have been combined for

administrative purposes only)

Each Parish is then divided into electoral constituencies – 61 in total

For voting purposes – the constituencies are divided into Polling Divisions

Personal data are collected based on residences within the PDs


14 Data Collection Streams

JAMAICA

14 PARISHES

STATIN Census Data Collection

ELECTORAL OFFICE data Collection

14 PARISHES

63 CONSTIUENCIE

S

63CONSTIUENCIE

S

Enumeration Districts

Polling Divisions


15Some Suggestions

How to deal with changes in address addresses: STATIN & Electoral Office agree on the mapping of EDs

and PDs Amend the Electoral Act to:

a.Enforce bi-annual registration, particularly if there is a change of address

b.Use the agreed mapping of PDs to be inline with that of the EDs used by STATIN

c.Work with the National Land Agency to have all buildings the geo-referenced


16 Conclusion

Finland took 30 years before the Population Register was used for their Censuses

We need to act fast – time is of the essence- and begin the implementation process now

Every problem has a solution – let’s work together to find it!

Are we going to have to do three more censuses facing the costs and challenges that were experienced in 2011?

THINK ON THESE THINGS!


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Thank you Ladies & Gentlemen

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