Bridgetown, Barbados (CMC) — The number of Barbadians employed during the first three months of this year totalled 127,900 according to the latest figures released by the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS).
It said that the unemployment figure stood at 11.8 per cent for the period January to March this year, representing 17,200 people with 8,900 males and 8,200 females.
BSS said that the data derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey, showed that the unemployment rate among males stood at 12.1 per cent and 11.6 per cent among females.
But it said the labour force stood at 145,100, while people not actively looking for work and excluded from the labour force, were 77,300.
The BSS also noted that during the first quarter of 2015, the wholesale & retail trade sector generated jobs for 20,200, while the accommodation & food services sector employed 17,400 persons.
The construction, mining & quarrying sector generated employment for 12,200 persons; while the manufacturing sector created employment for 9,800 persons.
Meanwhile, the index of retail prices for May 2015 stood at 167.6 points, representing an increase of 0.7 per cent when compared with the 166.5 points recorded the previous month.
The figures show that increases were recorded for fuel and light by three per cent; transportation by 1.9 per cent; medical and personal care by 0.9 per cent among other sectors.
But there were deceases registered for clothing and footwear and housing.
“Between May 2014 and May 2015, the Index of Retail Prices decreased by 0.7 per cent from 168.7 to 167.6 points. The average inflation rate for that period was 1.2 per cent,” the BSS added.