Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Home Affairs, The Hon. C. Walton D. Brown, Jr., JP, MP
Mr. Speaker, earlier today I tabled the Annual Report of the Registry General for the year ended December 31st, 2017. The Registrar General recognizes the essential role that vital statistical information plays in planning for the provision of services in areas such as tourism, health, education and housing, to name a few, and has performed his duties to a high standard in the recording, collating and presenting of the data to be included in the Annual Report.
Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Section 19 of the Registration (Births and Deaths) Act 1949, the Registrar-General shall, within ninety days after the expiration of each calendar year, compile for publication in such form and manner as the Minister may approve a summary of the births and deaths which occurred during the year, together with a general report on the increase or decrease of the population of Bermuda. The Registrar is required also under Section 35 of the Marriage Act 1944 to publish a summary of marriages conducted each year.
Mr. Speaker, we recognise that the report, while tabled 5 months earlier than last year is still later than it should be. However we will be working on improving the processes and the technology associated with the delivery of this report in a timelier manner closer to the legislated requirement.
In preparation of the Annual Report, Mr. Speaker, the Registrar has relied on information received from the Records Office of the King Edward VII Hospital relating to births; from the local funeral directors and medical practitioners in relation to deaths; and from local marriage officers and Masters of Bermuda registered ships in relation to local and maritime marriages respectively.
Mr. Speaker, the Report which deals primarily with the vital statistics pertaining to the Island’s residential population indicates that for the first time in three years there has been a slight decrease in the number of births. In 2017 there were 578 births; a decrease of 13 or 2.2% over the 591 births recorded in 2016. However, the live birth rate of the population has increased by 1 point per thousand from 9.1 in 2016 to 9.2 in 2017. There were three babies born in 2017 in the residence of the parents, a decrease of eight from the year ending 2016.
Mr. Speaker, the distribution of live births by nationality based on information provided by the parents at the time of registration of their children’s birth, for 2017 reflects 76.1% or 440 of the total live births have at least one Bermudian parent. In 2017, 138 or 23.9% of the births have parents who are both non-Bermudian.
Mrs. Speaker, Honourable members are advised that in 2017, 481 deaths were recorded among residents. A death rate of 7.5 per thousand of the population for 2016 reflects a decrease of 11 or 2.3% from 492 recorded in 2016. The Report also indicates that there were a total of 494 deaths recorded for the year ending 31st December 2017; thirteen were in respect of non-resident persons. There were no stillbirths recorded for the 2017 period.
Mr. Speaker, there was an increase of 95 or 0.15% in the estimated resident population at the end of 2017 at 63,921 as opposed to the 63,826 in resident population estimated in 2016. At the end of 2017 there were 2,419 more females than males in the population figures.
However, Mr. Speaker, from the report given and statistics recorded in 2016, and statistics provided for 2017, it would appear that there has been a significant drop in the population (1,565 and 1,470 respectively). However, the population estimates were re-based in 2016 after the 2016 Population and Housing Census. The re-base of the data is the reason why the population estimates are lower in both 2016 and 2017 as presented.
Mr. Speaker, for the year ending 31st December 2017 there were 440 marriages performed in Bermuda, a 2.3% decrease from the 450 marriages recorded in 2016. During 2017 marriages between parties who were both non-residents accounted for 232 or 52.7% of the total of 440. This figure still is in keeping with the trend over the past five years for marriages between non-residents to exceed the number of marriages between residents and marriages between a resident party and a non-resident party. The Report also shows that there were 167 marriages between parties who were both residents and 41 marriages between a resident and non-resident.
Mr. Speaker, of the total 440 marriages recorded in 2017, ten were same-sex marriages. Eight of the same-sex marriages were performed at the Registry General as civil ceremonies, and the remaining two marriages were religious ceremonies held at a hotel and a home. During 2017 same-sex marriages between parties who were both residents accounted for 5 or 50% of the total of 10 marriages. The report also shows that there were two same-sex marriages between non-residents, and three same-sex marriages between a resident and non-resident.
Mr. Speaker, 452 marriages were performed on board twenty three Bermuda registered ships in 2017. This total represents a decrease of 16 or 3.5% from the 2016 total of 468. Of the 452 maritime marriages, two or 0.4% were same-sex marriage ceremonies. The cumulative number of marriages (local and maritime) processed through the Registry General for the year ended 31st December, 2017 was 872 as compared to 918 for the year ending 2016.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, the Annual Report seeks to provide an illustrative statistical digest of vital events such as live births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages, adoptions and re-registration of births for the year ended December 31st, 2017.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.