THE Department of Statistics is expected to announce today that the overall unemployment rate is now at 12.7 per cent after a 2.1 per cent decline, with officials pointing to Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival “related activities” accounting for some of the improvement, according to the 2016 Labour Force Survey results obtained by The Tribune.

The overall unemployment rate stood at 14.8 per cent when the previous survey was done in November 2015. The latest survey covers the reference period of April 25 to May 1, 2016.

When officials surveyed New Providence’s job situation, they found a decrease in the unemployment rate, which fell from 15.9 per cent last November to 13.2 per cent in May.

However, the rates of unemployment in Grand Bahama and Abaco increased by 0.5 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively, to 14.7 per cent and 10.1 per cent.

The report also states that youth unemployment, which covers people 15 to 24-years-old, is higher than any other area. However, this category declined from the rate of 30 per cent recorded in November 2015 to 25.8 per cent in May.

In addition to jobs provided by Junkanoo Carnival, the newest survey results obtained by The Tribune said the 2.1 per cent decrease in the unemployment rate was also influenced by jobs in the manufacturing sector increasing by 26 per cent, among other factors. This sector accounts for four per cent of total employment, the department said.

The results of the survey also indicate that since November 2015, the labour force grew by 1.7 per cent and now totals 215,880 persons.

However, between May 2015 and May 2016 there was a significant increase of 3.3 per cent in the labour force.

In addition, since November, the number of employed people increased by 7,540, while the number of unemployed people fell by 3,855.

The survey said that discouraged workers in the country declined by 10 per cent.

New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco experienced declines in the number of discouraged workers of 14 per cent, 16 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

These persons, according to the standard definition of the International Labour Organization (ILO), adhered to by the Bahamas and most countries including those of the Caribbean, United States and Canada, did not look for work because they believed no jobs were available for them, the report said.

In the employed labour force, there are more men than women, the survey said.

The department has scheduled a press conference for today to release the new job figures.

By Khrisna Virgil, Tribune Staff Reporter

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