census deadline yet again.

The 2000 census will now be extended into next year in order to enumerate an estimated 2-3,000 households who have escaped the visits of the enumerators.

In the summer the deadline was pushed back after problems cropped up.

Premier Jennifer Smith said in the House of Assembly in the early hours of Saturday that some households were employing delaying tactics.

She said: "More than ever before we have encountered a lack of cooperation from households.'' She said warning letters had now gone to 340 households and that further visits will now be conducted between November 17 and February 20.

And Ms Smith admitted: "It's not necessarily the best time to do this, to further raise the deadline.'' She said households as well as enumerators would be taking breaks during the holiday and Thanksgiving season.

Census deadline extended She said: "Only the most experienced and productive enumerators will be employed. They will be instructed to be more assertive.'' "Some households don't want enumerators coming in to enumerate them.'' She said the opposition were trying to score cheap political points by attacking the Government on the issue.

Shadow Finance Minister Grant Gibbons said the Opposition supported the census.

But he said: "Did the Government give themselves enough time? "It's pretty embarrassing to come back and ask for a third time to get the job done.

"The Government is short on organisational control and long on blaming other people.'' And the UBP's Michael Dunkley said: "If the Government made a mistake they should admit it. Some of the blame must go to the Government themselves.'' But PLP Minister Terry Lister said the Opposition had forgotten that they themselves had to extend the deadline for the previous census so that the 1990 census ended up becoming the 1991 census.