2010 Census
The 2010 census will be the second census conducted by the Timor-Leste Government. The first took place in 2004, two years after the nation became independent.
The United Nations Organization advises countries to carry out a Census every decade so that the number of persons registered in the territory is as accurate and current as possible . Although there are still 4 years left before the decade advised by the UN is finished, the IV Constitutional Government decided to anticipate the Timor-Leste Census because, as the Minister of Finance, Emília Pires, explains “we have seen that the country has changed quite a lot, there is a big difference and, besides that, we want to be consistent about the date 2010, 2020, 2030 … We will do the Census this year and then every 10 years.”
The Census will occur between the 11th and the 25th of July. The first day, 11th of July, was the stipulated day for counting the total population (not only Timorese but also foreigners that are in Timor-Leste, on that day). “These is the date that all have to bare in mind. When the interviewers arrive to the people’s houses, people should answer the questions regarding the 11th of July” stated the Minister of Finance.
Around four thousand persons were employed to do the inquiries. Around six hundred will register, through technology, the exact localization of the houses, and more than 2 thousand and six hundred are interviewers that will go around the country performing the inquiries, door to door, “because we think that we are not going to be everywhere on the same day and, there are a lot of people, in Timor-Leste, that don’t know how to write or read, and so that is why they will need to receive those interviewers who will fill the form with the respective answers”, the Minister explains.
For more information’s, you can ear the Minister of Finance interview to the “Good bye Conflict, Welcome Development” program in Radio Timor-Leste, frequency 91.7 FM – in Tetum, this Tuesday, July 6, at 7pm or, in Portuguese, Saturday, July 10 at 7.30pm.
