The audience at the presentation of the poverty study held yesterday.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
SOCIAL Services Minister Melanie Griffin yesterday expressed concern about youth under the age of 20 who remain the poorest demographic in the country at nearly 18.8 per cent, according to a recent Household Expenditure Survey.
The survey was conducted by the Department of Statistics at a cost of $1m.
“What we must, as a country, be concerned about is the impact of poverty on our young people,” Mrs Griffin said.
“We do know that the study shows that a major percentage of our young people under the age of 20 are in poverty. It means then that we must, as we are doing now, attack, unemployment aggressively to ensure that our young people particularly are able to find jobs and to get themselves out of poverty so that is a concern.”
Statistic officials, along with representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank, explained the survey results yesterday in the Hearing Room at the Physical Planning Department.
The survey was released to the public in June and is based on data collected last year.
Living conditions, the report said, were significantly worse for Haitian migrants, who represent 7.5 per cent of the total population. They are the poorest population in the Bahamas with three out of every four Haitians falling in that category.
The findings of the expenditure survey also show that in New Providence, the proportion of people living in poor conditions is 12.4 per cent while throughout the Family Islands the rate hovered at 17.2.
A study of this kind was last conducted in the country in 2001. At that time, the national poverty rate was 9.3 per cent.
However, as of last year, data collected from 2,123 randomly selected homes proved an increase of the poor to 12.5 per cent, a change attributed to the global financial crisis of 2008.
Officials said that the survey was conducted to establish a new poverty line in the Bahamas, which is $11.64 per day per person or approximately $4,247 per year per person.
The poverty line represents the minimum amount of money required to afford a low-cost diet plus some essential non-food needs.
The Household Expenditure Survey included all residents who lived at selected households for six months or more in New Providence, Grand Bahama and certain family islands.
Officials said the results are expected to be vital in the implementation of social programmes and the formulation of national policies.
Comments
John 9 years, 7 months ago
One time ago the brunt of poverty on young people was cushioned by the effect of them living home with parents and even grandparents. Everyone contributed to the living expenses based on their earnings. Today many young people find themselves with children and income below the poverty level and having to fend for themselves. The shortage of housing has driven up the cost of rental units and this makes it even more difficult.
SP 9 years, 7 months ago
"It means then that we must, as we are doing now, attack, unemployment aggressively"
SOCIAL Services Minister Melanie Griffin has proven to be another PLP MP that is living in La-La land. Content with selling us dreams.
Exactly what examples of "aggressively attacking unemployment" can this Minister point to?
The Christie and Ingraham administrations have consistently ignored advise by the IDB for years on what should have been done to avoid taking us exactly where we are today.
Dumb and Dumber both ignored sound advise on renewable energy and tourism investment initiatives that are PROVEN to have created more job opportunities in Jamaica faster than Jamaicans can fill them.
Recent investors for numerous tourism related projects some valued at over $1B on Arawak Cay were turned around and frustrated to the point of leaving with absolutely NO desire of trying to deal Christie or the Bahamas ever again.
https://www.moodys.com/research/Moody...">https://www.moodys.com/research/Moody...
PLP MP's and crony's continue talking BULLSHYT that "everything is o.k. and on course".
Nothing is BLOODY-WELL o.k. and there is no dam course! Just smoke, mirrors and talk!
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
by TalRussell
The_Oracle 9 years, 6 months ago
Aggressively attacking unemployment? More like aggressively attacking the little that is left that works properly! Hiring them into Government services is a basic license to steal or corrupt the dept, Private sector is shedding weight, BAMSI is a joke retold, doomed to fail again, Is there one of you with any damn sense?
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