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Economic Census questionnaire sent out

ASG Commerce Department director, Keniseli Lafaele [SN file photo]
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 2017 Economic Census, which is carried out every five years, officially got underway this past week as the US Census Bureau began notifying businesses nationwide by mail with instructions on how to complete the survey online.

According to the Census Bureau, only small businesses in the U.S. territories will receive a paper form.

In preparation for the 2017 economic census, two US Census Bureau officials were in American Samoa early last month working with the ASG Commerce Department, whose director, Keniseli Lafaele encourages local businesses to respond to the survey, as the Economic Census also serves as the statistical benchmark for the Gross Domestic Product. (See Samoa News Apr. 5 edition for details)

U.S. businesses nationwide, including those in U.S. territories, are asked to report their 2017 year-end numbers for each business location, including sales or revenue, employment, payroll, and industry-specific information.

Response, which is mandatory under federal law, is due June 12th and the tentative date for release of the 2017 Economic Census is October 2019. More information can be obtained at <www.census.gov/EconomicCensus> where there is a specific section on Insular Areas.