The 2022 Population and Housing Census of Guyana has revealed a significant decrease in the country’s population, further fueling concerns over the state of migration and governance. An anonymous informant has reported to Village Voice News that the Guyana population has dropped dramatically since the 2012 census, which recorded 746,955 people, continuing the downward trend from 751,223 in 2002. This decline is attributed largely to increased migration.
The census results, mandated to be conducted every ten years under Guyana’s Statistical Act Chapter 19.09, have sparked a political storm since the PPP government of Guyana has refused to release the results to the public. The opposition coalition, APNU-AFC, has long argued that the country’s Voters’ List is bloated by over 100,000 names, claiming that the official list includes people who should not be on the registered list of voters.
It was revealed to Village Voice News allegations that the current PPP government, led by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, has delayed the release of the census data in an attempt to pressure the Bureau of Statistics into inflating the population count. Reports indicate that the government sought to portray a population of one million, despite the data showing a significant decline. More important to the PPP is the fact that the count for citizens who identify as East Indian have decreased yet again with more than 250,000 leaving the shores since the 2002 census.
Sources within the Bureau have described the government’s efforts as an “indecent imposition” on their professional integrity, with statisticians rejecting the alleged demand to alter the numbers. “Statistical analysis must never be driven by political agendas, but by raw data,” one source stated, reinforcing the importance of maintaining the census’ credibility.
According to one informant, a certain local amateur ‘Economist’ has been engaged to plant the propaganda that more people are returning to Guyana than leaving, thereby “extrapolating” that Guyana’s population is in fact growing. Well known academic, researcher and author Dr Ramesh Gampat soundly discredited his position calling it, among other choice adjectives, “iill-conceived.”
The decline in Guyana’s population is attributed primarily to the mass migration of East Indian citizens, who, according to reports, due to the benefits of chain migration and wanting a better life for their children, are leaving the country in large numbers despite the nation’s recent oil boom. An anonymous citizen expressed concern that the financial benefits from the oil sector are failing to reach the majority of the population, leaving many citizens impoverished and disillusioned with the country’s economic prospects. Factors such as high levels of violent crime, government corruption, poor living standards, and lack of quality employment continue to drive the exodus, contributing to the ongoing brain drain.
Additionally, reports suggest that the declining population threatens the PPP’s political base, which relies heavily on support from the East Indian community. To counteract this, the government is reportedly importing Venezuelan nationals, with estimates indicating that over 60,000 Venezuelans currently reside in Guyana. The government recently made legal changes to facilitate the naturalization and voting rights of these immigrants.
In contrast, the PPP administration has been criticized for its treatment of Haitian nationals living in Guyana. Human rights activists argue that the government has refused to naturalize Haitians, instead imposing visa restrictions that limit their ability to travel freely. The activists claim that the PPP’s policies reflect a broader pattern of anti-Black racism, given that Haitians are part of the African diaspora.
In a further attempt to bolster its support base, the government is reportedly preparing to import thousands of healthcare and other skilled workers from India and Bangladesh, despite the availability of similar talent from CARICOM member states, which could freely work under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) framework.
Opposition leaders have raised the alarm over these developments, accusing the PPP of attempting to artificially expand the Guyanese citizenry to maintain its political stronghold. “This census clearly shows the rapid decline in the PPP’s base, and instead of addressing the real issues causing migration, they are trying to manipulate the demographic realities,” one activist stated.
As the controversy surrounding the census results deepens, all eyes are on the government’s next move and whether the true findings will be made public. The implications for both the future of Guyana’s democracy and the integrity of its electoral process remain at the center of the growing debate.
