2015 Bermuda Digest Of Statistics Released
In 2014, a record low of 574 live births were recorded, and work permits issued to private sector employees dipped to under 10,000 for the first time since 1999, according to the Bermuda Digest of Statistics 2015, which was released today by the Department of Statistics.
In explaining the Digest, Premier Michael Dunkley said, “The Digest is structured into ten sections and contains brief analyses, quick facts and graphs for each section.
“There are more than 60 statistical tables which provide a wealth of data about Bermuda’s social, demographic and economic conditions. This publication is an excellent tool for research, school projects, marketing initiatives and business planning.”
Free copies of the Bermuda Digest of Statistics are available online at www.statistics.gov.bm, and the Digest is also printed below along with some extracts.
Population
A record low of 574 births was reached in 2014. In contrast, the 480 deaths captured were the highest of the 2004 to 2014 period. The 477 marriages recorded were well below the eleven year average of 685. Finally, 104 divorces were granted, the lowest since 1984.
Education
The total school enrolment figure of 9,696 students has set another record low. Total enrolment has declined steadily since 2004 with the exception of slight increases in 2008 and 2009. Similarly, Government school enrolment has fallen year over year during the eleven-year period apart from in 2013.
On the other hand, private school enrolment rose from 2005 to 2009 then fell annually thereafter. The number of Bermuda College students has declined for the past four years yet has remained above the period average of 1,079 students.
Labour
The total number of occupied jobs has declined each year since 2008, falling to a twenty-two year low in 2014. Service Workers, Shop and Market Sales Workers and Wholesale/ Retail Trade and Restaurants/ Hotels remained the leading occupational and industrial categories, respectively. Work permits issued to private sector employees dipped to under 10,000 for the first time since 1999.
Transport
Total registered road vehicles continued to decline for the fifth consecutive year. The number of reported road traffic accidents reached a record low. Notably, the number of traffic accidents in 2014 was less than half the amount in 2007. Private cars, motorcycles and trucks continued to be the primary vehicles involved in these accidents.
The main cause of traffic accidents has been ‘inattention’ for the past two decades. As with reported traffic accidents, a record low for the number of road casualties was recorded. However, after three consecutive years of 9 traffic fatalities between 2011 and 2013, the total increased to 16 fatalities, mainly involving motorcycles.
Public passenger journeys have increased by 9% in the past year to 3.0 million but still remained well below the 3.5 million average for the period. The number of charter passenger journeys declined by 60% between 2013 and 2014, dipping to under 10,000 for the first time.
Telephones
In 2014/15, the total number of telephone subscribers was the lowest since 1989/90. Furthermore, the number of residential and commercial telephone subscribers each declined every year in the past eleven years. This is likely a result of a shift towards using cellular devices to replace traditional landlines.
Air Arrivals
Total visitor arrivals were near the average for the past eleven years. Nearly half of all visitors arrived between June and August. Air arrivals accounted for 39% of total arrivals, down from 57% in 2004. This shift can be attributed to air arrivals being the lowest since 1966. Residents from the United States of America represented more than seven of every ten air arrivals, with New York residents comprising 15% of all air arrivals.
Food Prices
Food and non-alcoholic beverage retail prices increased for two-thirds of the items captured over the past year. Sliced peaches, corn niblets and chicken legs had the largest percentage increases in prices whereas apples, salt and tomato soup had the largest percentage decreases.
Corned beef and cheese are the only two food items that have more than doubled in price over the past 10 years. Corned beef [12 oz.] was $1.79 in 2005 and now costs $4.15. Cheese [16 oz. block] was $3.24 in 2005 and has increased to $6.96.
Although all 45 food and nonalcoholic beverage items have increased in price since 2005, imported boneless codfish, tea [50 bags] and coffee [12 oz. instant] had the smallest percentage increases in price, respectively.
Planning Permission
Applications for planning permission were less than half the amount in 2004. The number of completed dwelling units has also dropped considerably over time, as 2014′s low represented one-third of the number completed in 2004.
The 106-page Bermuda Digest of Statistics follows below [PDF here]:
So basically the cost of living has increased yet the number of jobs has declined while wages have also been stagnant for the last 20+ years. Not good. Something needs to be done. Why are employers allowed to pay the same they did 20 years ago while grocery bills, electricity bills etc have been increasing and that’s for the people that even have jobs to begin with. It’s no wonder many Bermudians are giving up on Bermuda and it’s system and leaving the island because for many of us it is Bermuda is working towards our detriment. I love my Bermuda but for myself and many Bermudians it is a struggle to get by. Praying for better times
I think you would see this pattern in most places in the world so good luck finding another ‘system’.
That’s the plan…(to slowly price-out the ‘undesirables’) why do you think they are fighting the union so hard…. you are right in thinking that your very existence on this island is being slowly chipped away.
wages have not stayed stagnant for 20 years….
This data is AT LEAST ONE YEAR OLD. It has “2015″ plastered on the cover (and subsequent) pages, but most of the data refers to 2014. Surely we can do better than this.
I need a government job. Hand in my work a year late, and still get cushy pay and benefits
Will you people ever stop riding civil servants?? You clearly haven’t taken a moment on that throne you sit on to think about how much red tape causes delays. Not the workers. The micromanaging. And as for benefits. Grab a employee handbook before you speak of benefits. You clearly need to take 10 minutes to educate yourself before you continue this “civil servants are lazy and useless” crap!!! Shout out to the HARDWORKING civil servants that know better!!! Not all but they exist! So you “do better” sir
Interesting. Is the Department of Planning half the size it was in 2004 given that the workload has dropped so dramatically? What about other government departments where activity has dropped significantly? Have staffing levels been reduced? Are they being reduced?
@triangle, was that a joke??? We all know very well, the staff levels are the same and yet, the turn around time for less planning approvals are NO shorter??? Makes you think doesn’t it ??
I think if you actually check the current staff levels at Planning, they are considerably lower than in 2004.
Interesting that between 1960 – 1970 the white foreign born population grew by almost 7000 ppl… Was this what Walton Brown highlighted as the mass give-away of status? Why did this happen? Does anyone know?
That was the early days of international business