Vanuatu Business Survey deadline extended to February amidst low response rate and challenges

January 31, 2024 10:39 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Sabrina Tabi.

Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics (VBoS) have extended the closing date for its Business Survey, due to low response rate from Business houses.

The extension was endorsed last week by the Director of the National Statistics Bureau, Mr. Andy Kalo.

Initially scheduled to conclude by the end of this month, the deadline has now been extended to next month, February.

This was relayed by the Business Survey Coordinator and VBoS Statistician for National Accounts, James Temakon, earlier this week to the Vanuatu Daily Post.

Reasons for the issue of low response rate were attributed to lack of proper physical address for businesses, as some of the businesses selected to be part of this survey, their physical address cannot be found.

Furthermore, some of these businesses have been shut down, and was replaced by another in the same industry.

Additionally, adverse weather conditions have also contributed to the delays in the coordination efforts of field officers for form delivery and collection, consequently impacting the response rate.

It has also been noted that refusal from some businesses to participate in the survey have presented a notable challenge in achieving widespread participation in the survey.

Acknowledging some concerns regarding the intrusive nature of certain questions, Temakon assured businesses of the protection under the VBoS Act, guaranteeing the confidentiality of sensitive business information.

He also mentioned fortified security measures following a government system hack last year.

Although the deadline has been extended, Mr Temakon, is urging businesses to swiftly complete and submit distributed forms to the designated VBoS field officers, because the survey is important to the nation’s economic revitalisation.

This survey seeks to tackle the persistent problem of high operational costs for businesses in Vanuatu, a concern underscored in the previous year’s Business Census.

The survey specifically targets formal businesses—those with more than three employees, robust financial records, and official registration.

The survey’s questionnaires have been strategically designed to aid VBoS in rebasing the National Accounts and restructuring the economy—its primary objectives.

This design might involve invasive questions, but their purpose aligns with these critical goals.

The provinces of PENAMA and MALAMPA were excluded from the survey due to their severe impact during last year’s cyclones, recognising the significant stress on respondents in these areas.