Government has given an update on its plans to conclude the census which could include an extended period for it to be completed.

The Royal Gazette reported on Friday that it had been trying unsuccessfully since October 5 to get an update on how many residents have been interviewed. It had previously been reported that the census, which began on May 20, officially ended on September 30 with less than 50 percent of residents interviewed.

In a press statement, Valerie Robinson-James, Director of the Department of Statistics said: "Census workers have been given a deadline of today, October 15, to have all census questionnaires completed, checked and returned to the Department of Statistics.

"It will take another two weeks to review each census questionnaire for accuracy and completeness, input the questionnaires into the database, and run the required reports to ascertain what the official census coverage was at the end of September 2010.

"There are still more households to visit and the Department of Statistics will have a clear line of sight exactly where these households are located by the end of October."

She added: "Cabinet has supported a recommendation that the census period be extended. Accordingly, among those items for consideration in the impending first term of the new legislative session will be an amendment to permit the extended conduct of the 2010 census."

Government has previously blamed a lack of enumerators and cooperation from parts of the community for the fact that the count has not been completed. The census is taken every ten years in Bermuda to keep track of how many people live on the Island. Censuses are done around the world to help governments better allocate funds. The government also collects data on age, race and employment during the census.