Italian census sparks concerns, but
if form is served, it must be filled out
By Ward Sanderson,
Naples bureau
Ward Sanderson / Stars and Stripes
Military officials are telling troops and civilians in Italy that households served an
Italian census form are required to fill it out. |
NAPLES, Italy — The census is real.
Italy is taking its once-a-decade population survey, and military people are required
to participate if they’ve been served a form.
"If you received it, you should fill it out," said Chief Petty Officer Dan
Smithyman, a Navy base spokesman in Naples. "If you did not, it’s not mandatory
that you seek one out."
Military officials said some Americans stationed in Italy weren’t sure whether the
census was legitimate, or whether they were required to complete them. Officials want
military members and civilians to know that they are supposed to cooperate.
There is no nationwide deadline for return of the census. It depends on the date a form
is received.
"They’re doing this area by area by area," said Cmdr. Robert Blazwick,
attorney for Navy bases in the Mediterranean. "The deadline varies."
Usually census workers who drop off the forms say they will return on a certain date,
typically a week later. The forms are available in English as well as Italian.
Blazwick said sometimes the pollsters will have English versions on hand. Other times,
they will return with an English form after finding a house full of folks who don’t
parlo Italiano.
The 24-page booklet looks much like a U.S. tax return, and asks a battery of questions.
They range from the obvious — how many people live under a roof — to the more
vexing.
The form asks what sort of heating a house or apartment has. How big is the place in
square meters?
Question No. 5.1: "Indicate whether any work or interventions were carried out to
systems in the dwelling over the past 10 years (electrical, plumbing, heating,
etc.)."
Are parking spaces open or covered? Do residents take a bus or subway or do they drive?
How long does it take to get to work? What time do residents leave?
Wary Americans seem most uneasy about that last question, particularly if they live in
crime-prone areas of a big city like Naples.
"I wouldn’t answer that kind of detailed info, even if they asked me in the
States," said one sailor, who didn’t want his name used.
The sailor said his census form was in Italian and that he didn’t fill it out.
Others worry census forms could fall into the wrong hands.
The military has not given specific instructions on how to deal with questions troops
find troubling, but is leaving it to those filling out forms.
According to Italy’s National Institute of Statistics, the answers help the
government plan and provide services for everyone living in the country. The traffic
answers, then, could presumably help lawmakers or engineers make decisions on how to spend
highway or public transportation money.
Italy is trying to allay worries over misuse.
"We would like to ensure you that Istat is bound to use this information only and
exclusively for statistical purposes," pledged Luigi Biggeri, president of the
statistics bureau, in a letter explaining the survey. "This information cannot be
provided to other organizations or persons and are published in table format in order to
prevent any reference to individuals."
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