The Inter-American Development Bank today announced the approval of a $3,365,000 loan to Suriname to help finance the country’s sixth general census and to analyze and disseminate its results.
The resources will assist the Census Office of the General Bureau of Statistics* carry out the preparations for the census as well as the actual census taking, which begins on March 31 and continues for 14 to 28 days.
The program includes organization of the Census Office, the design and testing of the census, recruitment and training of census takers, census cartography and the approval of relevant legislation.
In the post-census enumeration phase, the program will finance data processing, evaluation and analysis of data and publication and dissemination of results. The permanency and sustainability of the country’s census institutions will be strengthened.
Suriname, a sparsely populated nation whose residents live mostly on the coast, last held a general census in 1980. Since then major population shifts have taken place through emigration and immigration, making a new census urgent for accurate public and private policy-making.
The new census represents a technological leap for the country, because it will introduce geographic positioning and geographic information capacity and techniques. The up-to-date data will be critical for national and regional planning by the public sector. The information will also be important for the private sector and the scientific and research community. Because of their importance, the IDB has financed censuses in several Latin American nations, including Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Paraguay.
The total cost of the Suriname program is $4,482,000. The IDB loan is for a 25-year term, with a five-year grace period, at the variable interest rate, now 5.39 percent. Local counterpart funds total $1,117,000. Part of the interest will be defrayed by the Intermediate Financing Facility.