Rigo AROs nabbed with ammunition, police uniform
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Abau counting officials being briefed by security personnel at the Bomana Correctional Services before entering the counting room yesterday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI
Rigo AROs nabbed with ammunition,
police uniform
PORT MORESBY: Two Central assistant election returning
officers (AROs) were caught in possession of ammunition (cartridges) and a set
of police uniform in the Bomana Correctional Services counting centre on
Tuesday (July 19, 2022, Police Commander John Midi says.
“The duo was referred to
the National Capital District Investigation Task Force,” he added.
“Police have questioned
them and that did not provide any lawful excuse or reasons for being possession
of the items,” he added.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the news break and a few General Election 2022 news updates published by The National:
Rigo AROs referred to
NCD police
July 22, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
TWO assistant
returning officers (AROs) in Central who were caught in possession of bullets
and a set of police uniforms at the Bomana Correctional Services counting
centre on Tuesday have been referred to the city police, police say.
Provincial police commander John Midi said yesterday that two Rigo AROs were
referred to the National Capital District (NCD) Investigation Task Force for
further investigation.
“Police have questioned them and they did not provide any lawful excuse or
reasons for being in possession of the items,” he said.
“Central police referred the case to NCD police through a mutual understanding
and consultation with assistant commissioner of Police for NCD/Central Anthony
Wagambie Jr.”
Midi said the case was transferred as the offences were committed within NCD
police’s jurisdiction.
He clarified that the referral was for transparency and neutrality.
On Tuesday, candidates and scrutineers petitioned the Electoral Commission
requesting the two arrested to be investigated and not allowed to the counting
venue.
Despite the petition, counting for Rigo open had started yesterday and is
expected to continue today.
Candidates’ submission thrown out
July 22, 2022The NationalMain Stories
NATIONAL Court judge Joseph Yagi says the Electoral Commission (EC) is constitutionally mandated to perform its powers independently and not be subjected to directions and control by any authority including a court.
“The only time the court is asked to intervene in the election process is when the EC’s jurisdiction is invoked under section 206 of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments,”he said.
Yagi said this at Waigani yesterday when dismissing an interim order sought by incumbent Wapenamanda MP Rimbink Pato and two other candidates to stop counting of the electorate’s ballot papers in Enga.
Pato, Justin Bero Sarimbu, and Danny Terep Katie initially sought to stop six Wapenamanda ballot boxes from being counted however the EC directed for Enga’s ballot boxes to be transported to Jiwaka for counting to continue. The interim order was sought to complement the ECs decision to order electoral officials in Enga to follow due to the officials’ noncompliance earlier yesterday.
Yagi said he did not accept the submission by the plaintiffs’ lawyer Nathan Pilamb that the order sought would not in anyway intervene in the electoral process.
“The effect of such order is to undermine the powers and functions of Electoral Commission.
“Once an order is made, it has the effect of interfering or undermining the EC’s powers and functions which is contrary to section 126(6) of the Constitution which says the EC is not subject to any direction or control by any person or authority,” Yagi said.
He added that the EC needed to be allowed to complete the election process without interference.
Petition halts counting
July 22, 2022The NationalMain Stories
COUNTING for the National Capital District’s (NCD) Moresby South electorate has been put on hold after scrutineers presented a petition listing several demands, delaying counting for the first time.
In response, NCD election manager Kila Ralai said he was required to ensure that the counting continued with or without scrutineers and any legal issues arising from this could be settled in court.
Moresby South returning officer (RO) Tau Toea told The National that the petition demanded that there be two scrutineers per candidate and for mobile phones to be allowed at the counting venue.
“We didn’t have a problem in there, it’s only the eight candidates,” he said.
“We started off very well so I have no idea why all of a sudden they have an issue with the counting.”
Toea added that after the scrutineers presented the petition they walked out of the venue putting a temporary halt to proceedings.
He said counting resumed on Wednesday afternoon and it was expected it to be completed by tomorrow or Sunday.
He said the petition seemed to be little more than a tactic by candidates to delay the process but he had been directed by the Electoral Commission to continue the count.
The National observed yesterday that most counting official did not turn up at the venue and those that did said this was likely due to concerns about safety.
Toea said most of his counting team travelled from across the city to get to the venue and the delay had inconvenienced them.
“I have to think of their safety.”
Central counting picks up after slow start
Abau counting
officials being briefed by security personnel at the Bomana Correctional
Services before entering the counting room yesterday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY
BANIFIVE electorates in
Central have started counting while Goilala is yet to extract its last 10
ballot boxes to Port Moresby.
Police commander Superintendent John Midi described counting in Central as a
“push start” affair with a late start to counting.
He said the Kairuku electorate started counting this week at Murray Barracks,
while the newly established Hiri-Koiari electorate had administrative issues
with space, chairs and issuing of identification cards for scrutineers.
However, counting for Kairuku, Hiri-Koiari, Abau and Rigo has been progressing
and is expected to be completed before the return of writs on July 29.
Abau returning officer (RO)Collin Lama said they anticipated completing
counting before the deadline, but it would depend on scrutineers and
candidates.
Lama said a total of six ballot boxes from the Amazon Bay area were already
counted.
He said since counting started they realised a need for more counting officials
apart from the 156 already in place.
Meanwhile, Goilala RO Theodore Maia said counting for Goilala was expected to
begin over the weekend.
Bogia candidate arrested for taking ballot
papers
POLICE in Madang have
arrested a Bogia Open candidate for threatening a presiding officer and
unlawfully taking 126 ballot papers out of a polling booth.
Madang provincial police commander Supt Mazuc Rubiang said the 54-year-old
candidate from Munumat village in Bogia allegedly took the ballot papers and
shared them among his family and supporters to vote.
He said on June 11, the polling team number 12 of Almami local level government
(LLG) completed polling at Yakiba and Sarawat villages and walked to Dogodogo.
Rubiang said the supporters of the candidate confronted the polling team,
threatened them and took away the sealed ballot boxes.
He said that on the following day, the supporters of the candidate returned to
Dogodogo and threatened the people not to go to Marusupa village which resulted
in a fight between the two villages.
Rubiang said that the supporters of the accused then left and kept the sealed ballot
papers until July 14.
On July 14, Bogia returning officer Cyril Ketau arrived at Murusupu village and
allowed polling to continue.
He added that the polling team had felt threatened and the presiding officer
signed all the 126 ballot papers.
Tindipu elected MP for new Komo-Hulia
electorate
By REBECCA KUKU
PROFESSIONAL surveyor
Daniel Tindipu, elected the first MP of the new Komo-Hulia electorate in Hela,
plans to use a bottom-up approach in developing the area.
Tindipu, who contested the seat under the Pangu Pati banner, polled 12,788
votes, well past the absolute majority of 12,489.
His nearest rival was PNG National Party candidate Tukuyawini Peter Philip with
12,189 votes.
“I would like to thank the people of Komo-Hulia for having confidence in me and
invite them to work with me to (develop) our electorate,” he said.
Hela Governor Philip Undialu looks forward to working with the new MP.
“We have many plans that we have talked about, to connect Komo-Hulia to the
rest of the province,” he said.
Hela completed elections for its five seats with Undialu retaining his seat as
governor, Prime Minister and Pangu Pati leader James Marape also retaining his
seat, Manasseh Makiba again as Margarima MP, Tindipu for Komo-Hulia and William
Bando as Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP.
Bishop describes GE22 as worst in history
By GLORIA BAUAI
A CATHOLIC Church bishop has
described General Election 2022 (GE22) as the worst in the nation’s history.
Madang Archbishop Anton Bal said corruption, violence and poor management and
planning had marred Papua New Guinea’s 10th general election.
Bal said he had been in contact with the Catholic congregation in Madang since
January helping prepare the people for GE22 activities with the message to
exercise their democratic rights.
“We called for this GE22 to be different, meaning that it be transparent, clear
and set the example for coming elections, because in previous elections we saw
a lot of corruption,” he said.
“But this one is even more corrupt than previous elections.”
Bal called for the new government to prioritise elections with more funding and
better planning.
“This election has been very chaotic; there is no common roll and we’ve
actually been using the 2012 roll which is 10 years old,” he said.
Bal said in that 10 year gap many citizens had come of age to be eligible
voters and had been victimised by the PNG Electoral Commission’s failure to
properly and completely update the roll. “It’s the leaders’ responsibility to
arrange this event properly,” he said.
Bal added that the Electoral Commission had outstanding payments.
Application withdrawn after Bando declared
William Bando
By CLARISSA MOI
AN application filed by former
Koroba-Kopiago MP Petrus Thomas was discontinued in the National Court
yesterday following confirmation by the State that William Bando was declared
member-elect on Tuesday.
Thomas, through his lawyer Greg Sheppard, filed in his originating summons
among others that returning officer (RO) and election manager for Hela John
Tipa and Koroba-Kopiago RO Joseph Kaupa did not have the powers to set aside or
dispute any of the 19 ballot boxes from the Kopiago LLG to proceed into
counting in Tari unless instructed by Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai to act
on his behalf.
Thomas also sought an order to stop Tipa and Kaupa from making unilateral
decisions to set aside and dispute any of the 19 ballot boxes for the
electorate unless instructed by Sinai.
Sheppard appeared before Judge Joseph Yagi at Waigani yesterday to move matters
as an urgent application however, the court was advised that Bando had been
declared as the member-elect and as such the proceeding had no utility.
The court adjourned the matter to 2.30pm yesterday to allow both lawyers to
confirm whether writ was returned and to provide evidence from the Electoral
Commission that Bando was declared member-elect.
When the matter returned in the afternoon yesterday, Solicitor-General Tauvasa
Tanuvasa representing Sinai advised the court that Bando was declared on
Tuesday as per an affidavit by Sinai which he submitted to court.
George Kulp, lawyer assisting Sheppard, then advised the court that he had
received instructions from Thomas to discontinue the proceeding.
He also said they would file another proceeding as an election petition.
Judge Yagi then granted leave to Thomas and discontinued the proceeding.
Madang Open count kicks off
Count on, lights out …
Counting for the Madang Open started in the dark on Wednesday. According to PNG
Power electricians, lights at the counting venue had blown a fuse. Counting for
ward 1 covering three villages in Ambenob local level government continued into
7.15pm, seeing officials scattering around to look for flashlights; a vehicle
was also brought in to provide light. Election manager Sponsa Navi said there
was nothing legally wrong about this. He said the situation would be rectified
and power restored to the facility. All ballot papers from the first count were
sorted and sealed and recounted yesterday morning.
COUNTING
for the Madang Open and Bogia have already started as Sumkar prepares to start
its counting today and the other three districts by the weekend, an official
says.
Madang election manager Sponsa Navi said Madang Open was the first district to
start counting which was around 4pm on Wednesday while Bogia began its count
yesterday at 1pm.
Navi said four electoral teams in Usino-Bundi who completed polling were still
waiting to be brought back to Walium, as well as 13 teams in Josephstaal and
one team from Arabaka local level government.
Navi said payment and arrangements were made with Heli Niugini yesterday and
all teams would be moved out of the locations and to the respective counting
sites.
“Other counting venues are ready,” he said.
O’Neill to avoid ‘camp business’
FORMER Prime Minister
and People’s Congress Party (PNC) leader Peter O’Neill says the party will
avoid the ‘camping business’.
He described camping of members to form government as “demeaning and
unnecessary.”
O’Neill, who arrived to a rousing welcome in Port Moresby yesterday following
his declaration in Mendi this week, expressed confidence in forming the next
government.
“PNC candidates are performing in top four positions, only a few struggling,
there is hope and we can be competitive,” he said.
He said PNC would mobilise its members in an orderly manner in Port Moresby.
Meanwhile, members of Pangu Pati and coalition parties are expected to travel
to Wewak to form the next Government.
Party leader and Prime Minister James Marape said Wewak had been chosen for the
Pangu camp to honour the founding father of the nation Late Grand Chief Sir
Michael Somare, who is buried there.
O’Neill said Sir Michael would be disappointed in Pangu because of the manner
in which the Marape Government had conducted General Election 2022 (GE22) that
was rife with corruption, fraud and poor management.
He said election-related violence and killings in parts of the country,
especially in the Highlands, showed this to be true.
O’Neill highlighted his party’s key priorities if it was invited to form government;
the main being national census and funding the Independent Commission against
Corruption (Icac) with K50 million.
O’Neill also spoke about the need for any new Government to gain investor
confidence, rescue the economy, reduce cost of living and lift wages for the
workers.
NCD counting resumes after concern over blank ballots
By HELEN TARAWA
COUNTING for the
regional seat in the National Capital District (NCD) has resumed after being
suspended on Wednesday.
NCD election manager Kila Ralai told The National that
counting was suspended over concerns raised about 125 ballot boxes containing
unused ballot papers stored away in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) tents at the
Rita Flynn Sporting Complex.
Ralai said the blank ballot papers were stored in the Covid-19 tent because
there was no room in the containers.
He said a separate container was organised for the blank ballot boxes to be
stored.
“They are unused ballot papers, part of our returns we put away in the tents,”
he said.
Ralai denied claims that there were ballot papers being sneaked into the
counting areas.
The scrutineers had raised claims that the ballot papers were sneaked into the
counting venue.
He said these ballot papers were put aside to separate them from the formal
ballot papers.
“We have cleared this issue with the candidates and now that it is in order we
hope that the counting will progress smoothly,” he said.
Ralai was confident that the teams would complete the counting of the 488 boxes
for the regional seat.
“We will strategise as we resume counting,” he said.
In response to questions about the ongoing delays by the scrutineers, Ralai
said that they (scrutineers) would have to listen and follow his direction.
“I’m running the show so I will direct them and they will listen to me,” he
said.
Meanwhile, counting for the Moresby North-East electorate is progressing slowly
for Ward 5 boxes with boxes for the three wards of 6, 9 and 12 still remaining.
Due to the interruptions caused by the scrutineers, he said that the counting
had been delayed but was expected to slowly pick up during the weekend.
10-day camp for Pangu, coalition partners in
Wewak
By REBECCA KUKU
PANGU Pati leader
James Marape says his party and its coalition partners will have a formal
discussion today before flying to Wewak for a 10-day camp.
“All the seven Pangu newly elected MPs (including himself), will move to the
Government camp in Wewak today,” he said.
The new MPs elected are Marape, Pangu Pati leader and Prime Minister
(Tari-Pori), John Rosso for Lae, Ian-Ling-Stuckey for Kavieng, Manasseh Makiba
for Margarima, Daniel Tindipu for the new Komo-Hulia electorate, Graham Piniau
for Rabaul and Philip Undialu for Hela.
Marape and the MPs called on party president Erigeri Singin yesterday.
“We will revisit the National Journey since 1975, and look at how far we have
come as a nation and where we want to go,” he said.
“We will also discuss a way forward for the people and country.
“We are confident that Pangu will have the numbers to form the Government for
the 11th Parliament after the General Election 2022 (GE22),” he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Rosso said: “We look forward to setting up camp and
seeing more MPs declared and joining the camp.”
Hela is the first province to have completed its election.
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