ga eS Wi a adder 7 calc Te yc aR ot ae se wea PRO acai ae OS a Wide GP GEE _ At the conclusion of a recent tourism awareness campaign, the Terrace and. District Chamber of Commerce InfoCentre was the scene of a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Present were Miss Terrace Laura Huhn, travel counsellor Lara Roldo, alderman Dave Huil, Freeman Vesta Douglas and Chamber president Bob Park. The upward trend in tourist inquiries at the infoCentre is continuing this year, and the staffing has been increased. Computalk | by Rainer Glannelia Certifled Data Processor Training — the misunderstood component. of computerization. Compared to a few years ago, more and more first-time. com- puter system buyers and users are much more aware of the need to consider both software and hardware when making their pur- chasing decisions. However, a large number of users still overlook: the role of adequate-training in their transition from . . manual information handling to computerized information hand- ling. . What most of these users do not realize j is that with ever- decreasing hardware and software prices, learning and conversion is costing businesses proportionately more and more. The prob- — lem most first-time computer users have in appreciating this cost is that the largest part of the conversion and learning costs are hidden costs — mainly employee time losses incurred from using a system to less than full efficiency or time losses spent correcting excessive errors during the early learning and converting period. This is why some systems analysts call training and conversion ‘the misunderstood component of new systems. Over tlie past’ years I have noticed that many companies which would, for example, never dream of putting someone without a driver’s license behind the wheel of a company vehicle, have no ~ qualms about putting a completely untrained individual behind a computer keyboard. True, mistakes ‘by an untrained equipment ‘operator can cause more damage to persons and property than ~ mistakes by an untrained computer operator. However, if the un- ‘trained computer operator is given access to corporate data that has not been sufficiently safeguarded against errors and deletions, the I6ng run cost of such risk-taking could be higher than initially expected. . One of the difficulties facing the first-time ‘computer-using companies i is determining the extent of learning and training re- quired, This is more difficult than, let’s say selecting hardware and software, since computer training needs is very largely a ‘moving target’ — there are no hard and fast rules, just approx- imate guidelines. In addition there are no required standards compared to other aspects of the companies’ operations, i.e. to - drive a company vehicle one must have a provincial driver’s license, however there is no such thing as a provincial computer operator’s license(and I doubt'there ever will be). So how much ahd what kind of training should comipanies be prepared to engage in? The short answer, though not entirely - satisfactory, is ‘whatever it takes’. In other words, the amount and extent of training will vary widely from company to com- -- pany dependent upon factors such as prior skill level of the “employees, extent of computerization, and appropriateness of the company’s hardware-software mix to its operations, In my experience [ have found that most conversion and learn- ing phase problems occur when a company allocates insufficient or inappropriate time for.employees to learn and become familiar with new systems. The most extreme type of situation occurs ‘when conversion to a new computer system occurs right in the — middle of the company’s peak time of business activity. Although sometimes this cannot be avoided (it’s always busy), conversion . ‘and adjustment to a new system is best planned in advance and preferably timed to occur in off-peak times so employees cart -condentfate more on learning the new systems, _ ee cea ai eagge tet dy ee Tote Te atte EP as ON MT Ee RORY ee ee SC Eek Mare ae Terrace Review — Wednesday, July 5, 1989 13. ‘Stewart gold fields Tenajon Resources Corp. of Vancouver announced recently that its summer drilling program has begun on the Silver Butte gold and silver strike north of Stewart. Esso Minerals Canada by buy- ing out.Esso’s 50 percent interest for $2,144,582, said by Tenajon president Don McLeod to be ‘‘a remarkably low price’. Silver Butte is located between two Westmin properties, Silbak Premier and Big “Missouri, about 15 kilometers north of Stewart. Access is by all-weather road. McLeod ‘says the. property hosts four known zones of miner- alization, and Tenajon has been ' Tenajon acquired the Silver Butte claims last month from: Silver Butte drilling ‘program under way able to calculate probable and _. possible reserves on two of them at a total of 308,000 tons with an _average grade of .505 ounces of gold and 1.07 ounces: of silver per ton. Both zones are. open in at least two directions, he notes. This year’s exploration pro- gram will focus on the Kansas zone, where the most minerali- zation has been identified ‘to date. Tenajon is currently in- volved in a 10,000 foot diamond drilling program on that zone. _ The attaintment of 100 per- cent ownership of the property for Tenajon is contingent to a 20 percent net proceeds interest to Consolidated Silver Buttes Mines Ltd., but McLeod says that does not affect the Kansas | zone. Chemical advisory committee idea eyed warily by regional district The Kitimat-Stikine Regional District board of directors is viewing a Kispiox Forest District proposal for a ‘‘Brushing and Weeding Advisory Committee’ with caution: Regional district director Gordon Sebastian has been critical of chemical spray- ing in the Hazelton area — a position ‘which the board sup- ports —: and according to R.N. Mould, operations manager for the Kispiox Forest District, the committee: would develop a brush control strategy, especial- ly with regard to the use of herbicides. = - * But the board, while it sup- ports: the concept, isn’t con- vinced this committee will have any real power and they are waiting to see’ who is. appointed to the committee before offering full support. | - Mould says the committee will _ have “advisory status” only and will initially prepare a short term plan. This will include a look at the ministry’s five-year brush control plan and a review of brushing strategy, permitted areas, and appealed permits. In the long term, Mould says the committee will be responsible for an ongoing review of pesti- cide literature, to discuss and develop treatment alternatives to herbicides and evaluate these alternatives, review all future permit applications, and devel- op a district brush contro} strat- egy with recommendations |. ° According to Mould, 16 or- ganizations have been ap- proached for participation on the six-to-eight-member com- mittee: the Office of the Heredi- tary Chiefs, Kispiox Valley Far- mer’s Institute, Kitwanga Com- munity Association, Wrinch Memorial Hospital Board, Ha- zelton and District Chamber of Commerce, District of New Ha- zelton and the. Village of Hazel- ton, Kispiox Valley Community Association, Kispiox T.S.A. Steering Committee, Hazelton and Area Sports Fishery Adviso- ry Committee, Skeena Water- shed Sports Fishing Coalition, © Northern B.C, Steelhead Guides Association, Kitwanga Rod and Gun Club, Northwest Guides Association, Bulkley Valley Trappers Association, Suskway Community Association, and the Regional District of Kitimat- Stikine. But the regional district won’t be represented on the commit- tee. Mould placed a June 23 deadline on the submission of names to be considered for the committee, but his proposal, dated June 2, didn’t come be- fore the board until their regu'sr board meeting held on June 24. Therefore, no name was svbrnit- ted. The Kispiox Forest District, because it is located near the head waters of the Skeena River, affects a large part of the Re- gional District of Kitimat- Stikine, including the down- stream Terrace area. Pca ee, Ei Mr. John Beverley, a Licensed Trustee in Bankruptcy from Touche Ross Limited in Prince George will be visiting Terrace on July 6, 1989 and will be available for free consulta- tion with individuals and companies who are experiencing financial difficulties. Mr. Beverley will be pleased to discuss with you the possible alternatives available to resolve your difficulties, such as: @ Formal Proposals to Creditors; @ Informal Proposals to Creditors; . ® Bankruptcy @ Receivership ®@ Orderly Payment of Debts. Should you wish to take advantage of this op- portunity to consult with our Trustee please contact Shirley Dekker at our office in Prince George on our toll-free line 1-800-663-5103 to arrange for an appointment. Touche Ross is a national public accounting firm with offices in Prince George, Vancouver, Victoria, New Westminister, Langley and 35 other major business centres across Canada. - Touche Ross provides a full range of auditing, accounting, taxation, insolvency and management consulting services to businesses and Individuals. A Touche Ross Seip.