CARICOM launched a Resources Consortium in support of the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses in the Caribbean Community last Monday at a meeting in Barbados of Caribbean statisticians and the Regional Census Coordinating Committee.

The CARICOM Secretariat at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, said in a press release that this consortium will be a clearing-house for CARICOM Member States, Associate Members and international agencies and will assist with coordinating resources to support the conduct of the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses.

And in opening remarks at the meeting, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite said that member states would see their resources complemented by the consortium in the planning, and implementation of the 2010 Censuses; analyses of the data, and dissemination of information.

The consortium, the release added,  would also conduct advocacy activities for maintaining and strengthening political commitment within CARICOM and for resource mobilisation through the sensitisation of policy makers and potential partners.

The consortium is the product of a cooperation agreement between CARICOM and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) and “represents a major effort by the UNFPA and CARICOM to advance South-South Cooperation in the context of the joint CARICOM-UNFPA South-South Initiative which was launched in 2006.”

The CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General said further that the CARICOM Secretariat had started the implementation of its regional strategy to “promote the use of uniform concepts and definitions, a common core of questions on the census questionnaires, technical co-operation, and sharing expertise and facilities.”