Barbados Statistical Services admits to a flaw in its 2021 census survey results that led to a mistaken claim about the number of atheists in the country.

An error in coding the survey resulted in the data being incorrectly interpreted as indicating that there are 62 thousand declared atheists in Barbados, generating significant national debate during the past two days over the published comments by an Anglican Bishop.

Director of Statistical Services, Aubrey Browne, says the term atheist was not used in the survey but, instead, individuals were asked whether they had any religious affiliation. If those individuals answered “no” that response was coded as atheist.

But he concedes the term atheist should not have been used because that terminology was not in the questionnaire.

  Director of Statistical Services, Aubrey Browne.