Census 2000 to conclude this week

Collection of population data in the Northern Marianas is expected to wind up by the end of the month with the nearing completion of the counting and interview process on all islands of the Commonwealth, Census Area Manager Sohale Samari said.

Hundreds of population data enumerators, who were hired through funding from the federal government, made sure all populated area in the Northern Marianas have been properly surveyed.

Not even the Northern Islands was not left covered by the Census 2000, a complete accounting of every individual throughout the mainland United States and its territories held every 10 years.

Census 2000 Area Manager and enumerators were flown by a helicopter to the inhabited portions of the Northern Islands last week to enlist every single individual residing in the area.

Washington Census 2000 Advisor Tasha Boone had previously underscored the importance of census information in a way that it is used by both the commonwealth and federal governments for all types of grants and funding for schools, health care, infrastructure and utilities.

Businesses rely heavily on information gathered through the census before pouring in investments into the Commonwealth since it will help them determine whether there are enough market in the Northern Marianas to sustain the existence of their businesses in the islands.

Information which will be gathered from Census 2000 is of great importance in the CNMI government’s efforts to spur economic activities in the islands by enticing foreign and mainland investors to do business here.

Census 2000 started last April 1, 2000 when more than 250 people were mobilized by the federal government throughout the Northern Marianas to gather data for the United States Constitution-mandated accounting of population.

The U.S. government holds census once every 10 years to measure how much funding a public entity needs and identify better ways to efficiently respond to both natural and man-made disasters.

Census data are also used by federal and local government agencies in responding to disaster and emergency calls. Census 2000 will include mapping of houses through door-to-door collection of data. The information will then be kept in the archives for use in disaster relief.

Result of the Census 2000 will also determine whether Saipan can already be classified as an urban area. Under existing laws, an area is considered urban only when its population count reach over 100,000. As of the 1990 census when population was less than 50,000 , Saipan’s classification remains rural.

More than $3.5 million has been earmarked from the U.S. Department of Commerce Fiscal Year 2000 budget to carry out the census in the Northern Marianas. The undertaking has created almost 500 jobs.