The rate of unemployment in The Bahamas has dropped from 15.9 percent to 14.7 percent nationally, the Department of Statistics reported yesterday.
The survey was conducted in May. The results of the survey provide information on the labor force as it existed during the reference period of April 23 to April 29, 2012.
Both New Providence and Grand Bahama experienced a decline in the unemployment rate, the 2012 Labour Force Survey shows.
In the case of New Providence, the rate fell from 15.1 percent to 14 percent, and in Grand Bahama from 21.2 percent to 17.3 percent, but the number of discouraged workers in Grand Bahama climbed by 12 percent. (The previous survey was taken in November 2011).
In the new survey, discouraged workers declined nearly three percent nationally. These people are not considered unemployed as they have stopped looking for work because they feel there are no jobs available.
According to the new survey, at the point it was taken, 28,125 people were listed as unemployed — 12,980 women and 15,145 men.
Director of Statistics Kelsie Dorsett said there are various contributing factors to the decrease in overall unemployment.
“Usually when you see a decline in unemployment, it sort of gives you the feeling that ‘hey, things are starting to recover’, but I wouldn’t look into that in isolation at this point in time, because of the time when this survey was taken,” Dorsett told The Nassau Guardian.
