A total of 57 percent of Bermuda’s households have now taken part in the census an improvement on the 51 percent figure that stood in November.However, the official in charge of the operation admitted yesterday that participation must “climb at a faster rate” to get the task completed by the deadline in eight weeks.As previously reported, the census that was supposed to encompass every household on the Island from May to September was hampered by a lack of census workers.Parliament passed an order in November extending the period of the census so the rest of the outstanding 15,000 households could be visited or interviewed by telephone.At that time, Government said the interviews and visits should be completed by March 2011.Every resident on the Island must participate in the census by law. It is designed to aid Government policy planning by highlighting data about the age, health and education of the population.Giving an update on the process yesterday, Statistics director Valerie Robinson-James said: “Following the census order extension and roughly two weeks before the Christmas holidays commenced, the Department of Statistics had successfully scheduled a total of 1,262 telephone appointments for the period December 2010 to February 2011.“Several households called to schedule appointments to be interviewed prior to holiday travelling while others preferred to have their appointments upon return from their holidays.“However, the Department is pleased to announce that a total of 747 census telephone appointments were conducted prior to Christmas, despite the holiday season. The Department would like to thank those householders that have called and booked a census appointment. Since the commencement of the New Year, 271 telephone interviews have been conducted raising the total completions since the census enumeration resumed to 1,018. The 2010 census coverage now stands at 57 percent.”Ms Robinson-James added: “Now that the holiday season has passed, the Department of Statistics has experienced an increase in the volume of telephone calls from households but needs the census coverage to climb at a faster rate. Persons are asked not to delay in calling to schedule an appointment if they have not been interviewed for the census as yet. Persons may even walk in to the office to be interviewed.”Stressing the importance of this, she added: “Statistics help to shape many of the decisions that affect our lives. The census is the only survey in Bermuda that covers all of the population and provides the most complete picture of life in our city, town, parishes and communities. The 2010 Census is an initiative of national importance and the Department of Statistics is seeking the support of every person to call, book an appointment to be interviewed so that they are included in the census.”Call 297-7761 to book an interview.