The Department of Statistics announced the launch of its Annual Economic Activity Survey (EAS) on Friday. The survey will canvass around 1,500 of the Island's businesses and organisations.

Survey questionnaires were mailed to businesses and organisations last week across 15 different industrial groups ranging from farmers to fishermen to professionals and international business.

"The aim of this survey is to collect key economic information from a broad range of businesses and organisations in both the private and public sectors that buy or sell goods and services," Chief Statistician Valerie Robinson-James said in a Press release.

"Examples include: hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, schools, churches and retail stores, just to name a few. All entities contribute to the economic growth of the economy regardless of how small the operation."

The information collected will help to measure the growth of the economy accurately and develop a range of statistics used in comparing the economic performance of industry, she said. She said reliable and relevant economic data would enhance the quality of decision making for both Government and the private sectors.

"The support of the business and social community is key to developing reliable and accurate data on the economy," she said.

Groups selected to participate in EAS may attend one of two lunch-and-learn sessions at the Department of Statistics on Friday, April 22, and Friday, April 29 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

"The survey is being conducted under the Statistics Act 2002, which guarantees that all information provided by survey respondents will be kept confidential," Ms Robinson-James said.

The survey will take place during April and May, 2005. If help is needed in completing questionnaires, Technical Support Officers will be available to help and can be reached at 297-7635 or 294-9051.