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| Joblessness climbs among men |
|
Royston Jones Jr.
Guardian Staff Reporter royston@nasguard.com
Published: Sep 15, 2012
The unemployment rate stood at 16 percent among men and 13.4 percent among women at the time the latest labor force survey was taken in May, the Department of Statistics revealed yesterday. The survey shows that 15,145 men and 12,980 women were counted as unemployed. This compares to the survey taken in November 2011, which counted 15,600 men and 14,660 women. Asked about the fact that more women appear to be finding work, Director of Statistics Kelsie Dorsett said, “We noticed in the last survey that, that was in fact happening. Years prior to that, that was not the case. “We are seeing that if you look at the higher institutions, The College of The Bahamas (COB), Baptist College etc., more than three quaters of the graduates are female. Educational wise, they are equipping themselves for employment, far more so than the males. “COB is putting out far more females than males.” Dorsett said men without qualifications are likely searching for blue-collar work, which is also on the decline. “For instance, the New Providence Road Improvement Project. When it first started it employed a lot of men but that has stabilized and now it is coming toward an end. There is no new employment really being created in that sector and that is probably [one] of the things that [is] going on.” The overall labor force increased by less that one percent since last November — from 190,445 people to 191,455. Of that number, 96,915 were women while 94,540 were men, reflecting an increase of 3,370 women in the total labor force, in contrast to the decrease of 2,360 men. The previous survey, conducted in November 2011 and released in February 2012, showed that there were 93,545 women in the total labor force, compared to the 96,900 men. Discouraged workers, when examined by sex over the six-month period, show a decline among women of 24 percent, in contrast to the increase of 28 percent among men. The percentage of discouraged workers in New Providence decreased by three percent, although in Grand Bahama they increased by 12 percent. These persons according to the standard definition of the International Labour Organization — adhered to by The Bahamas and most countries including those of the Caribbean, United States and Canada — are not considered unemployed as they did not meet the three criteria of unemployment — seeking work, willing to work and able to work. A further analysis of the overall labor survey is expected to be released to the public in mid-November, 2012. |
