Official concerned about rainy weather

A NATIONAL Census official in Morobe is concerned about the rainy weather which may affect their programme, especially in rural districts.
Bonasi Primary School’s Grade Seven teacher Raymond Mandang in Tewae-Siassi is one of three enumerator trainers for the Wasu local level government.
He said once all materials were in place, they would travel by boat from Voco Point to Wasu station where the training would be held.
“It takes a day in good weather to reach Wasu but can take longer in bad weather,” he said.
“Recently it’s been raining which means wind and rough seas. And the delay in materials and funding is not helping either.”
He said he only had the interviewer training manual, Computer Assisted Personal Interview (Capi) and Paper Assisted Person Interview manuals, plus a few forms to use before, during and after interviews.
“I need a few more of those forms and tablets.”
Mandang undertook the second-tier training for trainers two weeks ago in Lae and has been waiting for training materials and funds before leaving for Wasu.
“We have already secured our training venue which is the Wasu Secondary School,” he said.
Mandang first participated as an enumerator in the 2011 census.
He said back then, there were no tablets and questions were over 40 and more detailed for information on a household.
“Based on the Capi training, I see that the tablets will make our work simpler and more efficient,” he said.
The National witnessed a delivery of census materials yesterday at the Huon Gulf District office in Lae.
Efforts to get comments from both provincial coordinators – Waiana Orama (Morobe Urban) and Abraham Nicholas (Morobe Rural) were unsuccessful.