The Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (JPES) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy will be conducting the Economic Census of Enterprises (ECE) 2024 starting today until August 31, said JPES in a statement yesterday.
The main objective of the ECE 2024 is to gather comprehensive data on the current state of business activities to help understand the scope of economic activities within the country and establish a benchmark for assessing the structure, performance, and contributions of the businesses to the economy. Reliable and up-to-date economic data is crucial for devising effective policies, developing targeted economic programmes, research, and compiling national economic accounts. Apart from that, the results may also be used by the private sector themselves in planning and developing their respective business activities and strategies.
ECE 2024 covers all active companies in the country, whether proprietorship, partnership, public limited company, private limited company, branch of a foreign company, co-operatives and other institutions and will collect information on the economic activity, company profile, business revenue and expenditure as well as employment details for the reference year 2023. This census will feature a new section specifically aimed at collecting information on the digital economy.
The ECE 2024 is conducted under the Statistics Act, Chapter 81 from the Laws of Brunei Darussalam.
JPES assured that all companies and businesses involved that the information collected during the census will be kept strictly confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only.
The ECE 2024 questionnaires are currently being distributed to all companies by post, email and visits to business premises by appointed census fieldworkers. These fieldworkers will also assist and provide guidance to businesses if they face difficulties in providing the required information.
The questionnaire can also be downloaded from JPES’ website. The closing date for returning the completed questionnaires is August 31.
“Failure or reluctance to give required information or furnishing false particulars is an offence which carries a penalty of a fine of BND4,000,” JPES warned.
Results from the ECE 2024 will assist the government in development planning and formulating policies.
“The results may also be used by the private sector themselves in planning and developing their respective business activities and strategies.
“Hence, the support and cooperation from all companies in providing correct and complete information are essential for the success of the census,” it said.
