Census set for 2010

PNG is now preparing to conduct another national population and housing census next year.
An inter-departmental 2010 census steering committee has been established and is meeting regularly to discuss how best the census could be conducted.
The committee is chaired by National Planning secretary Joseph Lelang.
Other sub-committees formed to take part in conducting the census are security, logistics, publicity and users advisory.
The census is conducted every 10 years.
Censuses have been conducted in 1980, 1990 and 2000.
The implementing agency and the National Statistical office had also established its 2010 census secretariat and have been holding meetings to review the 2000 census strategies and instruments.
The office, in consultation with the National Planning Department, is finalising the 2010 Census documentation for Cabinet’s endorsement.
In the 2000 Census, PNG had a population of 5.2 million.
Next year’s census will cover the entire country.
There would be head counts of every person, including expatriate residents and foreign visitors who are in the country at the time of the census.
Acting national statistician Nick Suvulo called a staff meeting last week and announced the Government’s commitment to conduct the census.
Mr Suvulo asked everyone to embrace the census.
He said that there was no more time to waste and asked all to work extra hard to conduct the census mid next year.
Australian aid agency AusAID has already sent a team of experts to NSO to assess its preparations, capability and budgetary review in preparation for the census. 
A report from their findings indicated that NSO was capable of conducting the census provided that funding support be made available as soon as possible.
All provinces, including the two new ones, Hela and Jiwaka, will have provincial coordination teams to assist the NSO count people.