Census officials ‘yet to be paid’

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 10th Febuary 2012

OFFICIALS who took part in last year’s national population and household census in Pomio district, East New Britain claim they have not been paid their allowances.
The disgruntled officials are asking when they would be paid.
They said officials in the other three districts of the province had been paid last year.
A public servant who did not want to be named said it was disheartening that Pomio district was left out despite the fact they had worked under difficult conditions to complete the census exercise in the district.
“We had to cross flooded rivers, climb mountains and travel long distances in rough seas to access remote census areas and to delay us our payments is injustice,” the public servant said.
The officer said census allowances for Melkoi, West Pomio-Mamusi, Central-Inland Pomio and East Pomio local level governments were yet to be paid.
He called on the provincial census authorities to explain why they were still waiting for payment.
He said the 2012 general election was approaching and the authorities should settle the census allowances as the same officers could use the excuse to boycott election/polling duties.
The public servant called on the Pomio district administration to take up the issue at the provincial level.
Several attempts to get comments from provincial census coordinator, Komet Malari were unsuccessful.