By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Labour Minister Dion Foulkes yesterday demanded the government apologise for undermining the work of the Department of Statistics.

He argued that Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has called the department’s integrity into question, after he said he had “doubts” about the unemployment figures.

Prime Minister Perry Christie, Mr Davis, and Labour Minister Shane Gibson have all given varying statements on the 1.4 per cent rise in unemployment among Bahamians between May and November 2014.

According to the Department of Statistics, unemployment rose from 14.3 per cent in May 2014 to 15.7 per cent as of November last year. The figures are in the department’s latest Labour Force Survey.

“The PLP’s attempts to undermine and discredit the Department of Statistics and its hardworking and competent officers suggest contempt and a lack of respect for a well-established and internationally accredited agency,” said the former Free National Movement Cabinet minister.

“The preparation of national budgets and Central Bank reports, and the work of international ratings groups all rely on verifiable information from the Department of Statistics.

“The recent labour study results, which reveal an increase in unemployment, have drawn a kaleidoscope of contradictory statements from government ministers, including the deputy prime minister and the prime minister. The fact is that the unemployment rate is higher today than it was in May of 2012 when the PLP was returned to office.”

The survey said that the unemployment rate in New Providence jumped from 15 per cent to 16 per cent while in Grand Bahama it rose from 14.7 per cent to 18.6 per cent.

According to the data, Abaco’s unemployment rate is 20.3 per cent.

The survey results further show that youth, ages 15 to 24, continue to face a considerably higher rate of unemployment than any other group. That group’s unemployment rate was 31 per cent, an increase of three per cent from the previous survey, when it was 28 per cent.

When questioned about the figures by a reporter last week, Mr Davis said: “I doubt it. In my own mind I doubt that. I will just have to look at the numbers.”

Labour Minister Shane Gibson last week said he is not surprised by the rise in unemployment figures but expressed hope that a number of tourism related projects slated to emerge this year will spur employment growth.

Mr Christie, meanwhile, said he has accepted the recent unemployment report and that the discouraging numbers will push his government to ensure greater employment for Bahamians.

The PLP administration has projected, since winning the 2012 general election that at least 30,000 jobs are to be created during their term in office.

Mr Foulkes, however, noted that “no matter how the PLP cuts it and how the PLP dices it, there are now almost 4,000 more people unemployed under the PLP than there were in 2012 under the FNM.”

He added: “The prime minister reluctantly accepts the fact that more Bahamians are now unemployed while the deputy prime minister says he does not believe there is an increase in unemployment and Mr Gibson said he was not surprised by the increase.

“The deputy prime minister has brought into question the integrity of the officers of the Department of Statistics and by extension the government itself. While in opposition the PLP used the unemployment statistics to severely criticise the then FNM government, and in one instance, Mr Davis blamed the FNM for causing the deaths of Bahamians because of the high unemployment rate.

“Mr Christie, Mr Davis and the PLP owe an apology to the hard working public officers at the Department of Statistics and to the Bahamian people,” Mr Foulkes said.

The recent unemployment report covers the period from October 27 to November 2, 2014. The previous survey completed before that was done in May 2014.