Residents who have been asked to participate in the first-ever Bermuda Literacy Survey are being reminded that they will face penalties if they fail to complete the survey.

The Department of Statistics said this week that 2,000 households have so far been contacted with another 2,000 by the end of the July.

By the time the survey has been completed, 6,000 people between the ages of 16 and 65 will be questioned.

Letters and postcards have been sent out so that interviews can be scheduled.

"We are now asking them to contact us,'' chief statistician Valerie Robinson-James said.

"With June and July generally the peak vacation months, it is important that we reach these households so that they are not excluded from the survey.

"We are very grateful to the 2,000 households that have already responded to the survey and are confident that we can reach our goal."

The participants are randomly selected from land valuation listings.

Interviewers visit households to choose a member of the household who fits the age requirement.

Interviewers, regional supervisors and full-time surveyors are behind the project, with 15 employed full-time members to process the demographic and statistical information.

The survey's results will be release in October.

The 6,000 people between the ages of 16 and 65 selected for the survey are given booklets asking problem-solving questions and basic demographics.

The survey will be used to plan Government programmes and policies.

The results will also be used by policymakers to compare Bermuda's literacy level with other nations.