PROVISIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS for April to June, 2016 show a slight increase in joblessness.
The rate of unemployment for the second quarter stood at 10.1 per cent compared to 9.3 per cent for January to March.
According to data produced by the Barbados Statistical Service, statistics derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey indicated that the unemployment rate among males stood at 9.4 per cent and 10.9 per cent among females.
This compares to rates of 8.7 per cent among men and 10.0 per cent among women in the first quarter.
In the second quarter review period, the number of persons employed totalled 135 100, of whom 69 600 were males and 65 400 were females. The total number of unemployed persons stood at 15 200; 7 200 males and 8 000 females. The labour force stood at 150 300. The number not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, was 71 200 persons. The labour force participation rate stood at 67.8 per cent, with participation among males at 72.6 per cent and 63.4 per cent among females.
In the second quarter of 2016, the Wholesale & Retail Trade Sector generated jobs for the largest number, employing 23 300 persons, while the Accommodation & Food Services Sector employed 16 800 persons. The Construction, Mining & Quarrying Sector generated employment for 14 600 persons and the Other Groups Sector (which includes the Information and Communications, Activities of Extraterritorial Organisations & Bodies, Real Estate & Arts, Entertainment and Recreation industries) generated employment for 9 300 persons.
Employment in the Public Administration & Defence Sector reached 9 200 persons, while the Manufacturing Sector went up to 8 000 persons. The Transportation & Storage Sector and the Administrative & Support Service Sector employed 7 500 and 7 300 persons, respectively.
The Human Health & Social Work Sector employed 6 900 persons, while the Finance & Insurance Sector and the Education Sector generated employment for 6 400 and 6 100 persons, respectively. Employment in the Activities of Households as Employers Sector stood at 5 400 persons, while employment in the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services Sector stood at 4 400 persons. The employment generated in the Other Services Sector was 4 100 persons.
During the review period, employment levels in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Sector stood at 3 800 persons. The Electric, Gas, Steam, Water & Air Conditioning Supply Sector generated jobs for 2 000 persons during the second quarter of 2016. (Economic Affairs Division/BGIS/NB)
