Unemployment down
as work force swells
PHILIPSBURG--A recent Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Labour Survey found that the unemployment rate has decreased by 10.5 per cent compared to 2005 figures, while the work force has grown by almost 15 per cent.
Released Tuesday, the biennial survey stated that the number of unemployed persons had dipped by 350 people, bringing the tally to 2,446. The CBS unemployment figure covers all persons 15 years or older who were unemployed at the time of the survey, were actively looking for work in the month before the survey and can start working within two weeks should a job become available.
The number of unemployed men dropped by 250: from almost 1,200 in October 2005 to 935 in March this year, a decrease of almost 22 per cent.
The number of unemployed women dropped by two per cent compared to 2005. The present percentage is 13.8 per cent and represents a decrease of fewer than 100 persons.
Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) was registered at 26 per cent, four per cent less than in 2005. The drop was attributed to a large number of youngsters finding employment in March, according to the survey. However, some 560 youngsters are still seeking employment.
In spite of the decline, the percentage is still considered high by international standards, as the ratio of youth unemployment to total unemployment is 2.5.
Balancing the unemployment figures is a work force that has grown by 2,600 in the past two years. This represents a 15 per cent growth over 2005 and puts the work force tally at 20,720 persons. Employment numbers among men climbed by 16 per cent while 13 per cent more women were recorded as employed by CBS.
In terms of numbers, growth was registered mainly in the large business sector, with trade and commerce recording the highest increase: from 3,627 people in 2005 to 4,171 in March. This was followed in growth by business and financial services, construction, public service and education, and health and other social services.
The survey found that there were more people in permanent service compared to October 2005. A total of 1,901 were registered in permanent service in 2005 while 2,160 were tallied in March.
Most of the increase in the work force is attributed to foreign labour (people not born in the Dutch Kingdom). Based on the CBS survey, compared to October 2005, an increase of almost 19 per cent was noted among employed foreigners and a 17 per cent increase among St. Maarteners.
The CBS figures were gathered through a sample of 1,250 addresses chosen randomly. Twenty interviewers gathered the work and other information from all adults residing at the addresses in two months.
