THIS ISLAND’S RATE of unemployment for the second quarter of 2014 stood at 13.2 per cent, up from 11.5 per cent in the first quarter.
According to the Economic Affairs Division, statistics derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey indicated that the unemployment rate among males stood at 12.8 per cent and 13.6 per cent among females.
During the period under review, the number of persons employed totalled 125 400, of whom 64 000 were males and 61 400 were females. The total number of unemployed persons stood at 19 100 ─ 9 400 males and 9 700 females. In total, the number of persons in the labour force stood at 144 500.
The number of persons not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, was 78 300 persons. The labour force participation rate stood at 64.9 per cent, with participation among males at 69.0 per cent and 61.1 per cent among females.
In the second quarter of 2014, the wholesale and retail trade sector generated jobs for the largest number of persons ─ 20 400, while the accommodation & food services sector employed 16 300 persons. The construction, mining and quarrying sector generated employment for 11 100 persons and the manufacturing sector generated work for 9 200 persons. Employment in the public administration & defence sector reached 8 800, while employment levels in the other groups sector went to 8 100. The human health & social work sector and the Education sector employed 7 700 and 7 500 persons, respectively.
Six thousand two hundred persons found work in the administrative & support service sector and the activities of households as employers sector generated employment for 6,100 persons. Employment in the finance & insurance sector stood at 5 700 persons, while 5 400 persons were employed in the transportation & storage sector. Employment generated in the other services sector was 4 000 persons.
During the review period, employment recorded in the professional, scientific & technical services sector stood at 500 persons, while employment levels in agriculture, forestry & fishing stood at 2 900 persons. The electric, gas, steam, water & air conditioning supply sector generated jobs for 2 600 persons. (BGIS)
