The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE unemployment rate between October 24-30 was 11.6 per cent, a 1.1 per cent decline from May, the previous time the Department of Statistics conducted their Labour Force Survey, officials announced yesterday.

The decline came as hundreds of Bahamians gained employment in the construction sector after Hurricane Matthew’s devastating impact.

DOS officials could not assess the quality of the jobs created in the time between the two most recent surveys, such as whether they are likely to be stable or temporary jobs.

However, Leona Wilson, the acting director of the DOS, admitted that an unemployment rate decline would not have taken place if it were not for the construction jobs created in the wake of the powerful storm.

The Christie administration’s 52-week job programme also contributed to the unemployment rate decline, benefiting mostly young people, although officials were unable to say how many people have been employed through the programme.

The survey will likely be embraced by government officials, as it is the last labour force survey that will be released before the next general election.

The release of the survey’s results came a day after rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgraded the country’s credit rating to “junk” status, a first for the country.

Cypreanna Winters, a statistician with the DOS, said between May and October, 4,025 people were employed and 2,155 people became unemployed.

“The three most populated islands that were surveyed experienced decreases in their unemployment rates,” she said.

The unemployment rates in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco were 12.9 per cent, 13.3 per cent and 9.1 per cent respectively for the specified period.

For the first time, the DOS included Bimini and Exuma in its Labour Force Survey.

Those islands have an employment rate of four per cent and eight per cent respectively.

“Among the employed labour force, there were more men than women,” Ms Winters said. “However, in all the islands surveyed, except Bimini and Exuma, men were fewer in numbers among the unemployed labour force.”

Employment among youth, people aged 15-24, “decreased slightly since May,” Ms Winters said.

“However, when compared to November 2015, employment among youths increased by 4.3 per cent. The youth unemployment rate stood at 25.1 per cent in November (2015).”

The number of discouraged workers, people who do not look for jobs because they believe none are available, declined by over 15 per cent between May and late October.

The DOS concluded that more than 1,385 people were employed directly because of Hurricane Matthew.

The construction industry experienced the largest employment growth of all the sectors, a growth rate of 16 per cent.

Ms Winters said: “Prior to the passage of Hurricane Matthew, 14 per cent of households in the country needed repairs. However, after the storm 51 per cent of the households in the country needed some kind of repairs to their dwelling. Sixty-eight per cent of homes that were severely impacted were in New Providence and 18 per cent in Grand Bahama. Damage to roofs was the most severe followed by damage to floors due to flooding. Of the homes in New Providence that needed repairs, 94 per cent needed roof repairs and in Grand Bahama nearly all had roof damage.”

In July, DOS officials announced that the overall unemployment rate was 12.7 per cent after a 2.1 per cent decline, with officials pointing to Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival “related activities” accounting for some of the improvement. That survey covered the reference period of April 25 to May 1, 2016.

The overall unemployment rate stood at 14.8 per cent when the previous survey was done in November 2015.