140 ballot boxes stolen in Morobe’s Menyama

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

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140 ballot boxes stolen in Morobe’s Menyama

PORT MORESBY: Menyama elections returning officer Nande Awape revealed yesterday (June 7, 2022) that 140 ballot boxes stored in the district office in Morobe have been stolen.

“The ballot boxes were used in the by-election in 2020 following the death of then MP, Thomas Pelika,” he added.

He said Menyama would need new ballot boxes for General Election 2022.

The news break was reported by The National:

140 ballot boxes stolen in Menyamya

June 8, 2022The NationalMain Stories

By JIMMY KALEBE
MENYAMYA returning officer Nande Awape revealed yesterday that 140 ballot boxes stored at the district office in Menyamya station, Morobe, have been stolen.
“All those ballot boxes were used during the by-election in 2020 when MP Thomas Pelika passed on,” he said.
This means that Menyamya district will need new ballot boxes for this general election.
He said the boxes were locked away at the district office after the ballot papers were cleared and destroyed.
“The boxes are supposed to be used in this election but with them being stolen now and some kept at the local level government offices, we will need new ballot boxes.”
Awape said Menyamya would need more than 40 new ballot boxes for polling in the four local level governments (LLGs) of Kapao, Nanima Kariba, Wapi and Kome.
Awape said he was yet to confirm the number of polling teams that would conduct polling in the electorate.
Meanwhile, preparations for the polling and counting in the electorate were going as planned.
“While we have prepared and are ready to carry out the polling and the counting at the electorate level, funding at the moment is still a concern,” he said.
Awape said this was a matter for the PNG Electoral Commission and the provincial election office to address.

Schnaubelt to deliver road, bridges

INCUMBENT Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt says he will deliver two major projects in question, Lelet Road and Punam Bridge.
In response to questions raised by people in Namatanai, Schnaubelt said Lelet Road upgrade was in progress while work on Punam Bridge had been delayed by the Markham Culverts Limited.
Community leader John Wesley had queried why nothing was done to the two projects despite Schnaubelt’s promise to the people of Lelet that he would fix the road and the bridge.
“Schnaubelt boldly promised the Lelet people last election in 2017 to fix their road two weeks after his victory.
“And where is the Punam River bridge he promised to install within months?” Wesley asked.
“Walter shipped second-hand heavy equipment into Namatanai a few weeks ago but they remained idle and unserviceable near the Lelet junction and traffic at the Punam River remains a problem with the high tide pattern.
“We demand answers where he spent K50 million of district services improvement programme money in five years,” Wesley said.
Schnaubelt said Lelet Road work was progressing but unexpectedly slow but it would be completed like all other projects.
“I am committed despite unforeseen challenges, my objective is clear and I will not deviate till the job is done,” he said.
He said Punam Bridge on the other hand was being delayed by the Markham Culverts Ltd in delivering the materials.
The bridge arrived in Namatanai last week and was awaiting Works Department’s final determination for construction to resume or not.

Landowners urge candidates to keep clear of Wafi-Golpu

Babuaf landowner association president Jack Raban with Babuaf cocoa cooperative executives and elders receiving a tractor from Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour and DDA members witnessed. Picture by PISAI GUMAR

CANDIDATES in Huon Gulf district, Morobe must refrain from using Wafi-Golpu project name or claiming themselves as landowners from special mining lease area to garner votes, Babuaf chief Steven Judah Utin says.
Utin said that none of the current candidates had any knowledge of the local environment and landownership issues surrounding Wafi-Golpu project and its SML areas.
Utin said that the Wafi-Golpu landownership issue was a complex matter that existed over time involving the Government, developer Wafi-Golpu JV and three landowner groups comprising Babuaf, Yanta and Hengambu.
“We (Babuaf, Yanta and Hengambu) have been dealing with the issue following government’s required procedures together with responsible State agencies, investor WGJV with the support of Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour, the district development authority and its administration.
“As landowners, we even never know when the project will begin, likewise WGJV.
“Thus, the intending candidates must refrain from using Wafi-Golpu project name in their campaigns,” said Utin.
“I have no knowledge of any candidate who is from Babuaf tribe, SML area or Wafi-Golpu project for that matter; and I don’t wish to see any so-called candidates claiming themselves as landowners for their political gain to garner votes,” said Utin.
Meanwhile, Babuaf Landowners’ Association (BLA) president, Jack Raban said that Huon Gulf people from Morobe, Salamaua and Wampar must distance themselves from candidates urging voters or companies to support or invest in them.
“Never believe the words of these candidates asking or telling people to support their elections so when they win the seat, they will provide business investment opportunities,” Raban said.
Raban said as the government responsible for Huon Gulf district, Ross Seymour and the district development authority were very supportive of the BLA and Wampar Pipeline Landowners Association to get them going.

National Alliance announces passing of regional candidate

By HELEN TARAWA
THE National Alliance (NA) party New Ireland branch chairman and candidate for the provincial seat Augustine Molonges has died.
NA general secretary and incumbent Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt announced Molonges’ passing on the party’s social media page yesterday.
While the circumstances surrounding Molonges’ death have not been confirmed, the NA network nationwide is in shock.
Party president Stephen Pokawin confirmed Molonges’ death adding it had left a gap for NA in New Ireland.
“On behalf of the NA party nationwide, we express our heartfelt sorrow to the Molonges family, Namatanai MP Schnaubelt, the Namatanai and Kavieng network managing team (NMT), the Walter Farming Association and everyone who knew Augustine Molonges.
“Death has no respect for persons or time or place. It visits at its own timing,” he said.
“We pay our respects to a homebred, up and coming leader whose passing at this time shocks the network.”
Pokawin said Molonges from Sentral New Ireland was identified to be the candidate for General Election 2022.
He spearheaded the setting up of the NMT under Schnaubelt’s leadership.
“The Namatanai and Kavieng NMT will be a legacy that Molonges had a hand in creating.”

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