Julie Buckley-Ess, chief, Puerto Rico, Island Areas, and Overseas Enumeration Branch, Decennial Management Division of the U.S. Census Bureau, said the project will begin in April 2010 and is scheduled to be completed by September.
The CNMI’s population was over 69,000 in 2000.
However, authorities believe this has significantly dropped as guest workers and locals leave the islands due to the worsening economy.
At least 178 enumerators will be hired for the latest census project in the CNMI and it will take months to compile and interpret the data from the questionnaires.
Rebecca Diaz Cartagena, a section chief with the U.S. Census Bureau, was selected as the 2010 Census advisor for the CNMI.
Local Census office manager Juan Borja and Census Division Director John S. Blanco will work with Diaz Cartagena.
Diaz Cartagena began her career with the Census Bureau’s Geography Division in 2004 assisting in the development of the Puerto Rico census address file. Three years ago, she began working on the Island Areas Operational Integration Team and was crucial in the development of address listing pages for each island area.
She moved to the Decennial Management Division last year to be chief of the Puerto Rico Section of the Puerto Rico, Island Areas, and Overseas Branch.
