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The 2011 Population Census will proceed to the face-to-face interview phase tomorrow (July 16). Over 12 000 census officers will visit those households that have not yet returned the questionnaires to the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) via the self-enumeration mode.
Up to July 14, around 1 million postal questionnaires and over 300 000 e-Questionnaires had been received. The response is encouraging.
Census officers will also pay visits to households in quarters without clearly identifiable postal addresses (including those in rural areas using communal letterboxes), those on vessels and those in non-residential buildings to which the C&SD has not posted out the notification letters beforehand.
Census officers are expected to have to visit about 1.5 million quarters to collect the required census information from the households concerned.
The Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Mr Fung Hing-wang, called for public co-operation and support for the 2011 Population Census today (July 15). He assured members of the public that data collected regarding individual persons and households would be kept strictly confidential.
"All census officers have completed a declaration not to disclose to any unauthorised persons any information that they have become aware of in the course of their duty," he added.
Earlier today, census officers made the declaration at setting-off ceremonies for field work held in the 54 field centres.
Mr Fung said, "The census officers can be easily recognised as they will wear a green census uniform (with purple collar and with the words 'Population Census' printed at the back) and a census badge, carry a red satchel with the census logo and identify themselves with a Census Officer Certificate of Identity issued by the C&SD.
"As the C&SD is processing a large amount of postal questionnaires already returned to update records in the computer, census officers may still visit those households that have posted back the completed short-form questionnaires after the deadline of July 7 mentioned in the notification letters. We would like to appeal to the households concerned for their understanding and ask them to inform the responsible census officers if they have already posted back the completed questionnaires."
The 2011 Population Census is being conducted in two phases. In the first phase, from June 30 to July 15, households are encouraged to choose the self-enumeration mode through postal questionnaire or completion of the e-Questionnaire online via the 2011 Population Census website (www.census2011.gov.hk). The registration period for using the e-Questionnaire will end today.
In the second phase, from July 16 to August 2, census officers will normally visit households between 1pm to 10pm from Mondays to Sundays. Households may make an appointment for an interview with the census officers online (www.census2011.gov.hk) or by calling the Telephone Enquiry Centre (2153 2011).
Households having registered to use the e-Questionnaire are requested to submit their completed questionnaires on or before July 24. If the C&SD does not receive the completed questionnaires by then, census officers will contact the households concerned by phone or by visit to help them complete the questionnaires.
The C&SD called on households to check carefully the identity of census officers before allowing them to enter their premises and to support the census by co-operating with the census officers.
When in doubt, households may call the Telephone Enquiry Centre at 2153 2011 to verify the identity of census officers.
The 2011 Population Census is conducted under the Census and Statistics (2011 Population Census) Order, which was enacted under Section 9 of the Census and Statistics Ordinance. Persons specified in the Order are obliged to provide the required information. In accordance with the Census and Statistics Ordinance, information on individuals or households will be treated in strict confidence and will not be released to any other people or organisations (including government departments) outside the C&SD. All questionnaires will be destroyed within 12 months of the commencement of the census.
Ends/Friday, July 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:53
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