By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THIS year's Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival celebrations "contributed" to a 3.7 per cent decrease of the country's unemployment rate, according to officials from the Department of Statistics.

Kelsie Dorsett, Director at the Department of Statistics (DOS), said on Friday that the employment opportunities provided by the "preparatory work" needed for Junkanoo Carnival had a positive impact on the latest unemployment figures. The same is likely true for the IAAF World Relays in May, as well as people hired in the lead up to Baha Mar's (then) anticipated Spring grand opening, she said.

However, Ms Dorsett said it is "likely" that an increase in unemployment would be reflected in the next Labour Force and Household Income Survey in November,

Ms Dorsett commented following the release of a new Labour Force and Household Income Survey compiled by the DOS. 

The survey provides information on the labour force as it existed during the period April 27 to May 3, 2015. It said that the unemployment rate in the Bahamas dropped from the 15.7 recorded in the November 2014 survey to 12 per cent.

Officials noted that the reference period would have captured "preparatory work and additional employment" related to the Junkanoo Carnival celebrations in both New Providence and Grand Bahama. 

It also captured additional employees at Baha Mar and its "associated out-sourcing companies" in its efforts to meet its Spring opening. Temporary employment associated with homecomings were also recorded. 

Yesterday, Ms Dorsett said Junkanoo Carnival - which was held on April 17 and 18 in Grand Bahama and from May 7 to 9 in New Providence - likely played a role in decreasing the country's unemployment figures.

According to the carnival impact figures released last month, the festival attracted about 115,000 spectators or participants, employed 7,208 people and benefitted 880 small and medium-sized enterprises. 

"We can see that it contributed," Ms Dorsett said. "It substantiated, too, in the fact that the manufacturing sector experienced the largest increase in numbers. 

"When we think of, say for instance, the carnival, there would have been many persons who would have been engaged in making costumes and doing other preparatory work. We're quite aware for some of those persons they were second jobs. But apparently for quite a good number of them this would have been persons who were not employed at the time. 

She added: "We are not saying that that was totally responsible for it, but it seems like it did have a domino effect and it did affect the employment rate. We also had other things going on like the IAAF (World Relays) that happened around the same time. And we cannot tell you the extent of how much that impacted but we assume that would have had some effect as well. 

"We also know that with Baha Mar they had sub-contracted small Bahamian companies to do the finishing touches like painting and cleaning carpets and that sort of thing." 

However, Ms Dorsett said the unemployment numbers may see an increase once the next survey is conducted.

"We don't want to speculate but that is likely when you look at the economics of events," she said. "Anytime you have a special event going on you will find that more people become employed or enter the labour force. If that level is not sustained, if another big event doesn't come along, it is likely that that can happen."

The survey went on to say that the country's three major islands - New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco - all experienced decreases in their respective unemployment levels.

As of May the rate in New Providence was 12 per cent, 12.9 per cent in Grand Bahama, and 12.2 per cent in Abaco. Last year, unemployment in Grand Bahama and Abaco were 18.6 and 20.3 per cent, respectively.   

Overall, the labour force now totals 208,895, as opposed to the 201,040 recorded last November. 

There was also a decline in youth unemployment (15-24 years) in the country, from the 31 per cent recorded last November to 25.3 per cent in May. However, that sector continues to face a considerably higher rate of unemployment that any other group, officials said. 

Discouraged workers in the country declined by 13 per cent over the six-month reference period. New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco experienced declines in the number of discouraged workers -14 per cent, 13 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. 

Officials said those persons, according to the definition of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), are not considered unemployed as they "did not meet the criteria of unemployment, namely seeking work, willing to work and able to work." 

The statistics also showed that 23 per cent of the Labour Force was comprised of people between the ages of 25 to 34 while 22 per cent of unemployed were between the ages of 20 and 25. 

The report also noted that 65 per cent of the employed labour force was engaged by the private sector, while approximately 13 per cent of the employed labour force was non-Bahamian. 

Then, apart from "community, social and personal services", which increased by 24 per cent, job creation was fastest in the "manufacturing" sector where employment increased by 21 per cent. This sector accounts for four per cent of total employment. 

The "community, social and personal services" industry, which includes the civil service, police service and domestic service, continued to be the country's largest employer in 2015 and accounted for 37 per cent of the work force. 

Additionally, workers employed in the "finance, insurance, real estate and other business service" sector experienced the greatest job loss, with 36 per cent.