MP Solomon Slams Three-Year Delay in Census Data, Warns of National Planning Risks

“Nonsense! “That was the blunt assessment from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Sharma Solomon regarding the continued delay in releasing the results of Guyana’s 2022 Population and Housing Census. Speaking on Thursday, Solomon highlighted that more than three years after the census was conducted, the nation still lacks the critical dataset needed for effective governance.

“This delay is not a minor administrative inconvenience; it strikes at the heart of evidence-based governance, undermining the very policies and programmes the Government claims to be designing for the people of this country,” Solomon said. He stressed that a national census forms the foundation for decisions about schools, hospitals, housing, social services, economic zones, infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and resource allocation. “Without updated population data, Government cannot credibly determine where public services are needed, how resources should be distributed, or which communities require urgent intervention,” he added.

The MP further warned of the broader consequences of operating without reliable census data. Not having up-to-date population information—or withholding it from the public—can lead to misallocation of resources, leave vulnerable communities underserved, and undermine the credibility of development programs. Census data also underpins electoral integrity, guides poverty mapping, and informs social protection programs. Delays or obfuscation in releasing such data erode public confidence, fuel suspicions of political manipulation, and turn national planning into guesswork, leaving citizens exposed to social, economic, and political vulnerabilities.

Solomon also challenged the government’s argument that delays are a regional trend. He pointed out that other Caribbean nations, including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Dominica, and Grenada, had published their census results within reasonable timeframes, well under the three-year mark now experienced in Guyana. “The argument that the entire Caribbean is experiencing ‘protracted delays’ should be seen as trying to take Guyanese for a ride. Several countries have met international standards for release, and none have exceeded the extraordinary length of delay now occurring in Guyana,” he said.

The APNU MP expressed frustration that neither the government nor the Bureau of Statistics has provided a definitive timeline or explanation for the hold-up, noting that even the Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance admitted he did not know the reason for the delay. “The Bureau’s blanket denials of political interference do little to reassure citizens when, one year after promising to publish results ‘soon,’ nothing has materialised,” Solomon said.

He concluded with a warning about the stakes of continued inaction: “Guyana cannot afford governance by guesswork. A country with the fastest-growing economy in the world, significant demographic shifts, major infrastructure planning, and expanding social responsibilities should not be operating without updated population data for three years. This undermines transparency, weakens policy credibility, and raises legitimate concerns about accountability. The census belongs to the people. It is not a political document. It is a national instrument of truth for proper planning. The continued delay must be addressed with urgency. No further excuses.”

Sharma Solomon’s remarks underscore the critical importance of timely census data for national planning, transparency, and the equitable distribution of resources, warning that the prolonged delay threatens both governance and public trust.