PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Statistics (STAT), was on location last week at the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), to give Airport personnel the opportunity to be interviewed for the household survey, especially for those where no contact had been made during the first eight weeks of the data-collection.
Department Head of STAT, Makini Hickinson said she appreciated that SXM Airport management had agreed to the initiative and as a result, STAT was able to reach an additional 40 households through their employer.
STAT conducted interviews at the airport's air traffic control tower, rescue & firefighting department, security department, and the airport's training room for general staff. STAT believes that its coverage throughout the various neighborhoods on Sint Maarten has been quite comprehensive, and as such in theory most Sint Maarten employees would have already participated in the survey.
Nonetheless, given that STAT is aware that it is difficult to catch some persons at home, the department has approached a number of large employers on the island, with the possibility to collect data from their employees via personal interviews or via the department's Email and paper forms.
SXM Airport was the first such business STAT approached and Managing Director, Regina LaBega, was very willing to accommodate the STAT team. "I think it's an excellent idea" LaBega noted when she was approached by STAT about the initiative.
SXM Airport's Corporate Communications Specialist, Kalifa Hickinson, also helped to encourage staff to take part in the brief survey.
"SXM Airport is very pleased to have assisted the Government of Sint Maarten with its data collection efforts by partnering with STAT to have interviews conducted on site. As a result of this partnership, 40 additional households were counted," Kalifa Hickinson said.
Over the next week and a half, STAT and its 25 interviewers will continue with the unfinished streets within neighborhoods and will be returning to addresses where they could not find anyone.
STAT informs all residents who have not yet participated in the household listing survey visit www.stat.gov.sx to download and complete the questionnaire online.
STAT falls under the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication.
