Electoral debacle caused by poor planning, lack of early preparations
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Electoral debacle caused
by poor planning, lack of early preparations
PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s General Election
2022 (GE22) process so far once again highlights the need for early preparation
to raise the prospects of a successful outcome, Institute of National Affairs
executive director Paul Barker says.
“Early preparations
would enable all eligible voters to be on the Common Roll and allow them to
exercise their constitutional rights (to cast their ballot).
“So much frustration
occurs as a result of inaccurate rolls, and lists at polling stations, with a
large portion, particularly of younger people, not on the list,” Barker said.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the news break and a few GE22 news updates as published by The National:
July 12, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
THE General Election
2022 (GE22) process so far once again highlights the need for early
preparation to raise the prospects of a successful outcome, says Institute of
National Affairs (INA) executive director Paul Barker.
He said early preparations would enable all eligible voters to be on the common
roll and allow them to exercise their constitutional rights.
“So much frustration occurs as a result of inaccurate rolls, and lists at the
polling stations, with a large portion, particularly of younger people, not on
the list,” Barker told The National.
“The electoral rolls were clearly not updated systematically for the 2022
election, although some updating did occur.
“And even before the 2017 election, there wasn’t a systematic and verified
update.
“This is a core function of the Election Commission, and duty of the returning
officers, but they were only appointed at the last minute.”
The General Election 2022 (GE22) is into its second week of polling, with
counting already progressing in many electorates.
Barker said conducting a national census was important for national planning
and budgeting reasons.
“Knowing the number of men, women and children in districts needing to be
served by schools or health centres, also providing the basis of verification
for the electoral roll, as well as the basis for the Boundaries Commission,
which makes recommendations of prospective electoral seats needed to maintain
reasonably equitably representation in Parliament,” he said.
“The lack of a current data base, and the rather ad hoc, and last minute
addition of seven extra seats in Parliament, added to the tasks for the 2022
General Election, which were already being compressed into the last minute.”
Barker said voters’ aspiration to participate in the democratic process “is
very strong in PNG, as demonstrated by voters’ willingness to stand for hours
in the sun to have an opportunity to have their say”.
“In many cases, (they were) turned back at one polling station and having to
walk to another, or several stations to find, or not to find their names on the
list and to vote,” he said.
“It is crucial that existing eligible constituents have their names retained on
the roll and not removed by anyone, without valid justification.
“It is also critical that all the new names of
people who’ve turned 18 over the past five years are added to the list.”
Barker claimed that some people voted multiple times by removing the dye on
their fingers and moving on to another polling station or district to vote for
their clansman or presumably for some reward, often using others’ names on the
list and denying them a chance to cast their own vote.
“As in other elections, there’s also reporting of large sums of money or goods
being distributed by some candidates, or even demanded by some voters.”
Madang wants extra
polling days
July 12, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
By GLORIA BAUAI in Madang
MADANG will need at
least five more days to bring to an end polling across its six districts, says
election manager Sponsa Navi.
Navi said polling in the districts got off to a slow start last Monday (July 4)
with minor hiccups along the way that affected the process.
Madang is expected to conclude polling today (July 12) as per the schedule.
But Navi said while some teams ended polling this week, a few teams were yet to
go into the polling areas in remote parts of the province.
“Most of Madang, Sumkar, Bogia and parts of Usino-Bundi should be completed by
mid-this week,” he said.
“Middle Ramu and Rai Coast due to their remoteness still need assistance to
airlift; some teams for closer areas have already gone in and their polling has
just started.
“I’ve asked the Electoral Commission for at least five additional days for
these districts especially and hope to get a response soon.”
Navi also confirmed that some areas of Madang, such as Bogia had Saturday
polling.
“However, I sought advice from him and he approved Saturday polling based on
the reason that we had a short timeframe and needed extra days to poll.”
Navi said counting for Madang regional, Madang, Rai Coast, Middle Ramu and
Sumkar opens would be based in Madang town, while Usino-Bundi would count at
their new stadium and Bogia at their station.
Cops warn warring tribes in Dei, WHP
Highlands Eastern-end
deputy divisional commander Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop addressing the
displaced in Mun, Dei district in Western Highlands. – Picture Supplied
POLICE have summoned
warring tribal factions in Western Highlands and warned them to uphold and
respect their truce agreement or face the consequences, Highland eastern-end
deputy commander Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop says.
“Kimkas and Rogates’ leaders in Dei were summoned to the Mt Hagen police station
for the warning after police received reports of tensions building up between
the tribes,” he added.
“Since we have signed the agreement, there was peace but we still have
customary obligations that we need to sort out for those who have died in this
bloody and protracted conflict before a permanent peace agreement can be
signed,” he said.
Tondop told the leadership of both tribes that the agreement had laid the
foundation for the journey to a permanent peace agreement and thus the legal
binding document must be observed at all times.
“So many lives have been lost and properties worth millions of Kina destroyed.
“I feel for the women and children who were displaced.
“The agreement must be respected and complied, with” he added.
Tondop said the Kimkas tribe had returned to the conflict area and this was in
breach of the truce agreement.
“I therefore issued a directive to the Kimkas, who have moved into the conflict
zone, to leave and the Rolgakas to ease the tension.”
Madang prepares for counting
MADANG will go into
General Election 2022 (GE22) counting of ballots this week without any extra
security personnel, Madang Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang says.
“We have only 225 local policemen, with reserve and new graduate trainees
bringing the total manpower to slightly more than 300.
“With Eastern Highlands going into polls this week, the 100 men from Goroka
deployed to Madang for polling have been withdrawn.
“Some of our polling booths have no security personnel because we do not have
enough men.
“But what we are doing now is to step up patrol to ensure safe, free and fair
polling for GE22.
“However, we are also facing problems with logistics but we are doing what we
can,” he added.
Rubiang said despite the challenges, Madang had so far recorded a very quiet
nomination, campaign and polling periods with no major GE22-related violence
reported as the province approached counting.
He confirmed a killing in Rai Coast’s Nayudo where an arrangement had been made
to complete polling for all polling centres and leave Nayudo to poll last so
that all the manpower could be deployed for security.
Manam islanders want change
THIS may be the last
general election Manam settlers cast their votes if the issues of their
resettlement is not prioritised by the new government, a leader says.
Residents at the Asuramba Care Centre in Bogia expressed during polling on
Friday that despite their participation in elections, their call for
resettlement had been neglected for years.
Local leader Nelson Mambote said leaders had turned a blind eye on their plight
as all three care centres – Botola, Asuramba and Mangem – had regressed into
settlements with poor living conditions.
“We’ve been voting new governments for three national elections now since being
displaced – 2012, 2017 and now 2022, but still our call for resettlement has
dragged on for 18 years,” he said.
“We’ve been displaced since 2004; I’ve voted with my children and now my
grandchildren while still living in this care-centre turned settlement.
“We have a very rundown and handicapped clinic, no high school and technical
schools, increasing cases of alcohol abuse and illegal activities by youth,
poor water supply, no permanent ground to call our own to expand gardens or do
business, no source of income.
“Here in Asuramba, the land portion is too small for the growing population;
families need to sit on their own permanent blocks and concentrate on building
their own lives.
“We have been left struggling despite our involvement to elect leaders; if we don’t
see progress with the Manam Resettlement in this next term, we will not vote in
2027 because there is no point in electing leaders who will not fight for us.
“We insist for a permanent resettlement and this new government must take this
as a serious issue, fast track it and solve this problem once and for all.”
Mambote called all new Momase leaders to unite their voices for the Manam
resettlement cause.
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