SHP gets ready for census

SOUTHERN Highlands province, PNG’s most populous province is already preparing for the 2010 National Population and Housing Census.
Provincial census coordinator Ambe Keleli said he was confident this year’s census would be successful.
He said the establishment of the census steering committee with assistance from provincial administrator William Powi and some of the divisional heads from the Southern Highlands provincial government was promising.
“I am also convinced that the inclusion of the bishop of the Catholic diocese of Mendi to represent the churches is a bonus since his part in the last census was outstanding.
“Mendi has a lot of Catholics and his pastoral letters to parish priests to inform the communities really had a lot of impact. 
“Normally, the Catholic bishop’s letter and other pastors’ support have been good.
“I have experienced this and hope the same will happen for this national event,” Mr Keleli said.
He also said the provincial administrator’s early circulars to district administrators, divisional heads, institutional heads like the Correctional Services commanders and college principals to highlight the importance of the census was good.
The provincial census coordinator said the steering committee had met and the second meeting would be next week to open the local level government representatives listing training from master trainers who will come from the National Statistical Office headquarters.
He said they had set up their office on the ground floor of Agiru Centre, opened a census bank account, set up the steering committee, and the awareness committees for  the districts and LLGs.
Mr Keleli said his province was very big and for any national event to occur in the province, publicity needed to be carried out early.