Return of GE22 writs deadline closing in, ROs worry
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Return of GE22 writs
deadline closing in, ROs worry
PORT MORESBY: Nine days from the scheduled date (July
29) for the return of General Election 2022 (GE22) writs, some election
officials are worried that they will miss the deadline because of the ongoing
disruptions to the counting process by candidates.
In the National Capital
District, Moresy North-West Election Returning Officer Vincent Manukayasi said
he feared that counting might not be completed in time for the return of writs
on Friday next week.
Counting was suspended
at about 1am yesterday (July 19, 2022) when the candidates submitted a petition
requesting:
Ø A LIVE streaming of the counting;
Ø PROOF that the closed circuit television
installed by the Electoral Commission was 100 per cent operational and
functional;
Ø THAT all the ballot boxers to be recounted after
the installation of the live streaming telecast; and
Ø THAT the presiding officers’ journals be made
available to their polling teams to confirm the total number of ballot boxes.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the news break and a few GE22 news updates as published by The National:
Worry over return of
writs
July 20, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
NINE days from the
scheduled date for the return of writs, some election officials are worried
that they will miss the deadline because of the ongoing disruptions to the
counting process by candidates.
In the National Capital District, the Returning Officer for Moresby North-West
Vincent Manukayasi said he feared that counting might not be completed in time
for the return of the General Election 2022 (GE22) writs on Friday next week.
Counting was suspended at around 1am yesterday when the candidates submitted a
petition requesting:
- A LIVE streaming of the
counting;
- PROOF that the closed circuit
television (CCTV) installed by the Electoral Commission was 100 per cent
operational and functional;
- THAT all the boxes to be
recounted after the installation of the live streaming telecast;
- THAT the presiding officers’
journals be made available to their polling teams to confirm the total
number of ballot boxes.
Manukayasi said counting was suspended when
they started on Ward 1 and Ward 26.
“That’s just two wards. We have gone into the third day of counting and we only
have nine days left,” he said.
“With the continuous interruptions from the scrutineers and their candidates, I
am afraid that we might not be able make the deadline for the return of writs.”
The candidates also requested Police Commissioner David Manning to look into
claims of illegal voting, tampering of ballot boxes and election fraud.
Candidates’ spokesman Isaac Lupari said there was evidence that boxes from Ward
One had been tampered with.
Female candidate Anna Kavana Bais said all the candidates were calling for was
a free and fair election.
“Election is the true test of democracy,” she said.
“From day one we have been calling for live streaming.”
Meanwhile in Manus, counting was suspended after concerns were raised on some
ballot boxes brought in from Aua Wuvulu.
Scrutineers requested the provincial election steering committee for a recount
of the 13 ballot boxes.
Committee chairman Oka Nungu told them to file a formal request supported by
evidence.
In Enga, candidates contesting the Lagaip Open seat have petitioned the
electoral commission to declare a failed election there because they claim that
proper procedures had been bypassed.
Martin Lakari, the spokesman for the 33 candidates, said the petition was on
behalf of the voters and candidates who were deprived of their rights to vote
on July 8.
Lakari claimed that all ballot boxes were hijacked at Laiagam, Kanake, Papayuk,
Wanepop, Mapumanda and Waitep under gunpoint.
“No ballot boxes reached the designated polling places,” he said.
“The entire Lagaip populace turned away in bitterness.”
He said out of the 51 ballot boxes, only seven reached the polling stations at
Lyamala, Kipos, Kanaik, Papayuku, Wapele, Mamale and Yakeda.
The other 44 were unmarked and forcibly taken away.
Police cell full
July 20, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
“We have suspects brought in from as far as Jiwaka and Wabag,” he said.
“Suspects from Wabag are members of the security forces who were charged with
money laundering.
Sagom thanked the joint security force for providing security during the
polling and counting.
He attributed the election-related offences to a minority group who were
expressing frustration and their anger.
“Our services are for the security of the elections and everyone. We are here
to protect the people,” he said.
“I am appealing to candidates, supporters and the general public to respect the
laws.”
Meanwhile, polling in Western Highlands was peaceful yesterday despite the lack
of security personnel in some polling areas.
Ballot boxes for Hagen Central and parts of Tambul-Nebilyer with roads were
transported to the Kimininga Barracks on Monday.
Mul Baiyer and Dei conducted polling yesterday, plus some areas in the
Tambul-Nebilyer electorate who missed out on Monday due to the late arrival of
ballot papers.
Police to use new armoured vehicles
POLICE will be using new armoured vehicles costing K2.4
million to address the election-related violence in Enga, says Police
Commissioner David Manning.
Manning in a phone interview yesterday told The National that
a joint task force comprising soldiers and police personnel would be sent to
Enga to restore law and order.
“Police will be using the three armoured vehicles and all other resources at
our disposal to address the ongoing election violence in the province,” he said
Manning said 15 candidates contesting various seats in Enga were currently
being investigated for their purported roles in the violence.
“Someone must be held responsible for the death and destruction in Enga,”
Manning said.
“These candidates, these so-called leaders, were silent when the death and
destruction began and have remained silent since.”
Probe on hijacked ballot boxes will continue:
Manning
POLICE Commissioner David Manning says investigations into
the alleged hijacking of General Election 2022 (GE) ballot papers in Southern
Highlands will continue.
“It is a criminal complaint of election fraud,” he added.
He was responding to Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill who on Monday questioned
why Manning was lodging a complaint with the Electoral Commissioner that some
ballot boxes from the Kuare local level government should not be counted.
“My office received a written complaint from a candidate in Ialibu-Pangia,
including witness statements alleging that more than 12,500 ballot papers for
Kagua Erave were hijacked during polling and stuffed in the ballot boxes of
nearby Ialibu-Pangia,” Manning said.
“That letter was copied to the prime minister, Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai,
the Ialibu-Pangia returning officer, the provincial election manager and other
candidates, hence the reference in my letter to Sinai.
“I wrote to the electoral commissioner to alert him on the alleged election
fraud and for him to consider setting aside the ballot boxes until the
allegations could be substantiated.
“While I note that the electoral commissioner has the final say on the
administration of elections and whether or not disputed ballot boxes are set
aside, police have constitutional and legislative powers concerning criminal
investigations, and laying charges in relation to criminal offences.
“My letter was intended to have the electoral commissioner realise something
was wrong and only he can make a decision before it becomes subject to a criminal
investigation, and worse still, the cause of further violence and bloodshed.”
Peaceful voting … A
woman and a man casting their ballots at a polling station in North Waghi,
Jiwaka last Friday. Deputy Comm/DCP and Chief of Operations Anton Billie has
praised the people of Jiwaka, Western Highlands, and Chimbu for a peaceful
polling. “So far, the polling in Jiwaka last Friday and Western Highlands and
Chimbu on Monday have been reportedly peaceful. There are nil reports of major
incidents or hijacking of ballot boxes thus far,” Billie said. He said some
districts in Western Highlands and Chimbu continued polling yesterday due to
challenges posed by difficult geographical terrain and bad weather. – Picture
supplied
Counting stalled for
districts
July 20, 2022The NationalMain Stories
THE disruptions to
counting in Kabwum and Markham in Morobe over the weekend have stopped other
processes from continuing, says an official.
Morobe election manager Simon Soheke said that the disruptions had stopped
counting in the two districts.
“Any further actions to be taken from there will come from the PNG Electoral
Commissioner Simon Sinai,” he said.
Soheke confirmed that there would be no recount for the two districts as the
ballot papers had been destroyed.
He said this after questions emerged about a possible recount.
He said that in order for any supplementary election to take place when such
situations occurred, it would have to be decided by the Electoral Commissioner.
Soheke made these clarifications after candidates and their supporters went on
a rampage on Saturday at Mutzing station in Markham and destroyed ballot papers
at the counting venue at Markham Valley Secondary School.
They also destroyed a new tractor belonging to the district development
authority (DDA) and looted a container.
A similar situation happened on Sunday as well in Kabwum where two vehicles
were burnt, offices vandalised and stores looted.
In both situations, the incidents happened after candidates and their
supporters assumed they were not receiving enough votes in areas which they
hoped to do well.
Meanwhile, Soheke said that the election officials in the Yus local level
government in Kabwum had been evacuated to Lae including the Kabwum returning
officer.
Maprik completes polling, into elimination
By ILEEN NAKRA
KAMBILAPI and JAMES GUKEN
Maprik Open electorate
Returning Officer (RO) Godfred Sokomi says they have successfully completed
polling and started primary count last Thursday and finished on Sunday.
“The absolute majority has not yet been reached so we will be going into the
elimination process, starting with the second count tomorrow,” he said.
Sokomi said they were currently doing quality assurance checks before moving
into the elimination process.
“Albiges Mamblep LLG and Yamil Tamaui LLG’s quality assurance checks have been
completed,” he said.
“We should complete the checks for Maprik Urban, Maprik Wora and Bumbita Muhain
LLGs as fast as we can before we proceed into the second count and elimination
process.”
Sokomi said the total final progressive scores for the first count for all the
first five LLGs were:
- JOHN SIMON – Pangu Pati with
13,167 votes.
- GABRIEL KAPRIS – PNC Party with
9,512 votes.
- HILDANNE WEFIN – Independent
candidate, 5,856 votes.
- SANI SANI – Independent
candidate with 3,173 votes.
- VINCENT ALOIS YANGAWARI –
Independent candidate, 2,797 votes.
According to Sokimi, the total allowable
ballot papers that were allowed into count was 47,139.
AROB counting begins:
Official
July 20, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
BOUGAINVILLE election
manager Justin Pantumari says counting for three of the four seats in the
Autonomous Region started yesterday.
He said counting for North Bougainville would start today.
Counting for the regional seat and for South and Central Bougainville seats
began at 6pm yesterday.
He added that counting for Central Bougainville had been delayed over
contractual issues with two assistant returning officers (AROs) but this had
been resolved.
“They are gazetted, so there’s no issue there and the contracts have already
been sent to the two AROs for them to review and sign and then they’ll send it
back to me and I’ll forward it to the headquarters in Port Moresby,” he said.
“Counting for North will start tomorrow (today) in the evening with the first
shift beginning at 6pm, meanwhile for South and Central both started today in
their respective electorates, counting for both the open and regional seats
simultaneously.”
Pantumari noted that while the primary counts for both open and regional ballot
papers would be done in their respective provinces, the final counts and
quality checks for the regional ballot papers would be done in the next five
days after all ballot papers were transported to Buka’s Hutjena Secondary
School.
He said they had a combined total of 256 ballot boxes to go through.
He added that one issues was the outstanding fees owed to service providers
from the past two elections but mediation efforts with Bougainville Police
Commander Francis Tokura, stakeholders had been addressed.
“As the election manager, with the help of Assistant Commissioner of Police
Tokura, we have negotiated with stakeholders to allow the process to continue
until all winners have been declared,” he said.
“We don’t want them to hold back the process and so I’m happy that they
understand this because there’s currently no money to pay the outstanding.
“So I have a list of unpaid service providers from the General Elections 2012
which will be sent to Port Moresby and settled if and when there are funds.”
Family, friends farewell late B’ville MP
Family and relatives
of late William Nakin leaving the funeral service at St Joseph’s Catholic
Church in Port Moresby.
By HELEN TARAWA
THE late William Nakin
was farewelled yesterday in Port Moresby with his National Alliance leader
Patrick Pruaitch and Bougainville regional member Peter Tsiamalili Jr both
paying tribute to the North Bougainville MP who passed away last week.
Pruaitch described Nakin, 71, who died after a short illness at Port General
Hospital on Tuesday, July 12, as a committed and loyal member of the party.
Prutaitch was among several Members of Parliament, including Prime Minister
James Marape and Speaker Job Pomat, who paid their last respects as the body
lay in state in Parliament yesterday.
Pruaitch told The National that it was unfortunate that the party had lost
Nakin who had been doing well in counting for his seat.
“He would have done very well in the counting and I believe that he would have
been declared the winner,” he said.
“We have lost a very dedicated and loyal member.
“He contributed a lot to the party and his absence will be felt far and wide in
party circles.”
Nakin entered Parliament after winning the North Bougainville Open seat in
2017.
This is the worst election in history, Sir
Peter says
By KELVIN JOE
ENGA Governor Sir
Peter Ipatas has described the General Election 2022 (GE22) as a most corrupt
in Papua New Guinea’s history following the hijacking of ballot papers and
violence nationwide.
He said the state agencies entrusted to run and manage the election including
the Electoral Commission (EC) and police had failed to ensure the people were
able to exercise their democratic right to choose their leaders.
“As a provincial governor for 25 years, sadly the GE22 is the worst, most
corrupt election I have experienced,” he said.
“Since independence (1975), we have elections slowly coming to a stage where
the rights of our citizen have been denied and forcefully taken away.”
Sir Peter, who is the Enga Governor since 1997, raised the concern during a
media conference in Port Moresby on Friday, after increasing election violence
reported in the country, especially in Enga.
He was responding to media reports on the hijacking of ballot papers and
election related violence in Laigap and Kompiam-Ambum over the past two weeks
and other incidents around the country.
He said the right to vote was a basic and constitutional right of every
eligible citizen and the state and its agencies were duty bound to ensure they
elections were run competently and efficiently every five years.
“It is very important our people choose their leaders freely and if their basic
rights are taken away, everything else will not really matter,” he said.
The veteran politician, who turns 64 two days after the July 29 return of
election writs, said he had called on the Government last year and earlier this
year to bring up to 500 Australian Federal Police personnel to support the
election security operation because he “saw the general attitude of our people
and the respect for the law and order was not in order, especially in the
highlands.”
Sir Peter said he had warned the Government of the likelihood of violence and
other improprieties occurring in the 2022 General Elections.
“This is happening in my province because people and the candidates themselves
are hijacking ballot papers to get themselves elected instead of people voting
them in.”
He said this had been the main issue over the past three national elections and
must be addressed.
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