Administrative Registers & Register Based Population Census Sonia Jackson CARICOM Census Symposium Radisson Grenada Beach Resort May 27, 2014 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

Why use administrative registers?  Cheaper?  Easier?  Lower response burden?  More reliable?  Rational? CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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. CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

How are administrative registers create d?  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 ) CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 validated CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

Prerequisites 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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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? CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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. CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

Data Collection Streams CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May JAMAICA 14 PARISHES STATIN Census Data Collection ELECTORAL OFFICE data Collection 14 PARISHES 63 CONSTIUENCIES 63 CONSTIUENCIES Enumeration Districts Polling Divisions

Some 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 CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

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! CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May

Thank you Ladies & Gentlemen CARICOM Census Symposium - Grenada, May