CARICOM CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (CCDP)

National Census Report 2001, St. Vincent and the Grenadinesof the 1 877 females that were added and the 285 males that were removed from the employedpopulation during the 1991/2001-intercensal period. Nevertheless, the males continued tooutnumber the females, with 21 518 males in the labour force in 2001 compared with 13 518females. Those in the 35 to 39 age group accounted for the largest share (15.24 per cent) of theemployed and this was the same for males and females, (Table 5.3(a)).5.4.1 Status in EmploymentMore than one half (54.01 per cent) of the employed population were paid private employees,19.58 per cent had their own business and 18.83 per cent were paid government employees,(Table 5.3(a)). The number and percentage of paid private employees increased over the1991/2001 intercensal period by 1 107 or 6.21 per cent. However, government employeesdecreased by 337 persons or 4.86 per cent. These changes are probably as a result ofgovernment's efforts to privatize some of its entities and foster economic growth andconsequently job opportunities in the private sector.Although government employed more males (3 354) than females (3 242) in 2001, thepercentage of females employed as paid government employees (23.98 per cent) was highercompared to the males (15.59 per cent), (Table 5.3(a)). Males were more likely to have had theirown business (22.01 per cent) than to be employed by the government, while the females weremore likely to have worked as paid government employees than to have had their own business(15.72 per cent). Chateaubelair had the highest number of persons with their own business (41.36per cent) than any other type of worker.Those who had own business with paid help in their business accounted for 36.53 per cent, whilethe paid private and paid government employees accounted for 31.19 and 20.33 per cent,respectively, (Table 5.3(a)). The males and females were equally engaged as business owners inNorth and South Grenadines, while in the other administrative divisions the males were moreinvolved than the females as business owners.62