Incumbent Kompiam Ambum MP, Sir John Pundari has called on the Electoral Commission to conduct counting for the Open Seat outside of Enga Province.

This follows the destruction and burning of State assets by supporters of rival candidates.

He made this appeal in a news statement.

“The situation is highly volatile and it is unsafe to count in Enga, therefore I humbly ask the EC to consider counting outside of the Province and consider each district and their election related issues on a case by case basis,” said Sir John.

Speaking in Enga Sir John called on all leaders of the Province to address the election related violence that is tearing the province apart and has left many families displaced.

“We cannot blame the Electoral Commission and security personnel for criminal activities carried out by candidates or supporters. We need to come out clear and condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms”, he added.

“My district has lost Government properties worth hundreds of millions of Kina and I am shattered for my people and the public servants who have fled to seek refuge.”

“Kompiam Ambum never experienced such violence in the past election years.”

Sir John said the assets burnt down will take time to rebuild and the younger generation have been deprived of their rights to education and other basic government services.

The incumbent Kompiam Album MP said leaders must now provide appropriate leadership during this time of chaos and violence.

“The People’s Party founder, Governor Peter Ipatas is a part of the current Marape Government and cannot continue to blame the government which he is a part of, by shifting blame to the EC or the Police.”

Sir John said that if there was any complaint of ballot box hijacking, leaders and candidates should know there is a process in place for dispute.

They need to present evidence to the Electoral Commission and not through violence and destruction by use of guns and criminal acts, said Sir John.

He reiterated that there are laws to deal with election anomalies and does not warrant violence as the next cause of action to justify claims of foul play.

“My supporters and I will cooperate and support investigations into these atrocities,” said Sir John.

They must be investigated and arrested by the police.

“I feel for my people who have lost lives and properties in this unprovoked and unexpected conflict we were not prepared for. Our call for support from the security forces fell short. We also understand that the security forces were stretched and could not do much.”

Sir John also expressed his sorrow and pain for the innocent mothers and children who have been displaced and traumatized.

I will ensure justice is done to the people of Kompiam Ambum, he concluded.

by Bradley Valenaki & Abel Gabarura

SIX ballot boxes were brought into Port Moresby from the Mt. Koiari areas via the Kokoda track after the designated helicopter that was supposed to airlift the sensitive election materials failed to turn up.

Escorted by youths and a lone police office, the boxes containing votes from villages along the famous Kokoda track arrived at the Owers’ corner on three separate days.

A ward councilor from Kagi was part of the team that brought in the ballot boxes from Efogi, Kagi and Manari, villagers in the hinterlands of Central’s new Hiri-Koiari electorate.

At Owers’ Corner, the boxes were handed over to electoral staff of Central province before being brought in for counting.

The youths when speaking to the officials expressed disappointment at the Electoral Commission for not transporting the items into Port Moresby.

They also demanded compensation as it was risky bringing the ballot papers on foot.

It took them at least two to three days to bring in the ballot boxes from the three locations.

by Bradley Valenaki

FIVE candidates contesting the NCD Regional seat have demanded appropriate actions be taken before counting commences.

This they say will ensure transparency in the counting process.

The candidates include, runner-up of 2017 Andy Bawa, 2012 runner-up Michael Kandiu, former topcop Fred Yakasa, ULP candidate Steven Kilage and former beauty queen and People’s Party, Sylvia Pascoe.

In a written letter addressed to the NCD Election Manager, Kila Ralai, the candidates demanded 14 actions.

1. NCD Regional candidates given access to inspect counting venues ahead of count.

2. Primary counts for Provincial must commence together with open electorates.

3. Set-up of CCTV cameras at all counting venues.

4. No police officers to be in counting room.

5. Installation of billboards for further verification.

6. Counting to only take place during day time.

7. Scrutineers representing Regional candidates must be present for authentication.

8. Details of official vehicles entering counting premises to be passed on to candidates.

9. Allow additional security checks at gate by appointed regional candidates.

10. Counting should be live streamed using social media.

11. Disrupted polling at ATS ward 9 should commence before counting.

12. Presiding officers must present their returns at counting venues.

13. No counting official must be from NCD.

14. Security at counting venues must not disperse supporters and scrutineers camped outside.

The Election Manager Kila Ralai addressed the regional candidates on Tuesday this week at the Rita Flynn netball courts, the designated location for Moresby South counting.

It was there, that he also called on the aspiring politicians to control their supporters and not to interfere with the process.

With all set for counting to commence yesterday in Port Moresby, it appears a further delay has been sort to allow training of officials for counting.

Mr. Ralai confirms budget constraints has led to the cut down and engagement of limited counting officials who will be on shift operations during the count in NCD.

NCD has has gone through two deferrals in polling with Moresby North-East seeing a third.

As it enters counting, the demands and pressure of the candidates and their supporters may drag on even further.

Whatever the outcome, there are only 13 days left before writs close on the 29th of July.

Counting for the three electorates and regional seat in Northern is planned to start over the weekend says an official.

Chairman Provincial Election Steering Committee, Trevor Magei said all the polling teams and ballot boxes are expected to arrive in Popondetta by this weekend.

He said training of counting officials would be held on Saturday and counting is expected to begin on Sunday.

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“The security personnel are set to extract all remaining ballot boxes starting from North Coast near the border of Morobe and Northern to the Eastern side on the border with Milne Bay,” said Magei.

He said the only issue was ballot boxes not reaching the polling locations on time.

Magei also thanked security forces who assisted during nomination, polling and now counting.

Meanwhile Mr Magei said the venue at Orokaiva market was selected to centralize counting.

“Counting will be done at the Orokaiva Market because it is spacious.

“This area has the capacity to simultaneously count all electorates and the regional at the same time.

“If all goes well, we hope to complete counting in three to four days,” said Chairman Magei.

Incumbent Northern Governor, Gary Juffa has called on people using social media platforms to be responsible.

He made this call when filing a criminal complaint against several suspects who he alleges had breached the Cyber Crime Act in their posts.

“The purpose of this action is to demonstrate that there are laws which regulate what one can post and put out there for public consumption.

“Social media is a very powerful medium for transmission of information and can affect how people think and act,” Juffa expressed.

“It can tarnish and destroy a person’s reputation and career. People can be harmed, properties destroyed, jobs lost, and even cost their lives,” said Juffa.

Juffa said this was the first of several such cases and he was determined to make sure that the case goes through.

“I have a duty to uphold the law and act upon instances where breaches of the law occur. “I am also duty bound to protect the office of the governor”, said Mr Juffa.

He urged his people to be mindful of what they share on social media and ensure they had facts and evidence.

In one instance, polling was delayed because of unfounded accusations creating suspicion and anxiety and causing polling officials to be reluctant to execute their duties, said Juffa

“What is alarming is that these efforts are undertaken by people in positions of responsibility,” he added.

Mr Juffa explained that under the Cyber Crime Act, persons who administer pages and forums will be held responsible for posting fake profiles.

Voters in ward 2 area of Iabu LLG at Asuramba care-centre in Bogia District became frustrated when they learned that most eligible voters weren’t able to cast their votes because their names were not on the roll.

Former President of Iabu LLG, Nelson Mambote, says they were told only 15% of the names were included in the roll update of 2019.

Iabu LLG has around 800 in population, 600 of which are eligible voters but only 15% of the eligible voters’ names were included in the roll update.

Mambote says the national government and the PNG Electoral Commission are depriving the rights of the citizen to cast their votes.

Most of the names of elderly people and the young voters who have reached 18 years or above in the last five years were not in the roll update.

He says this is the time for the younger population to exercise their rights through the ballot papers yet they were denied that right.

Mambote further said the problem lies with the national government and the PNG Electoral office who should have carried out the roll update.

He said the national government and the PNG Electoral office had five years to work on the roll updates.

Adding that successful governments have not improved and learned from the previous elections to correct the flaws. Instead the same problems are being repeated every five years.

Mambote says local leaders in the community couldn’t contain the bulk of the voting population’s frustrations when it was spilt out.

Much of the blame for this whole mess was placed on both the government and the electoral commission.

Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai is confident the 2022 National General Elections will be delivered despite hiccups.

Sinai said polling has been completed in almost 114 LLGs throughout the country.

“Since July 4th, the election has progressed. We want to deliver the election and that includes polling and counting,” said EC Sinai.

Mr Sinai said most delays in parts of the country are due to weather patterns and logistics.

“The challenge varies from each province. Transporting polling teams and election materials continue to hamper our schedule. But I am confident we will overcome this,” said Sinai.

He said most provinces in the Highlands region have completed polling with extraction of ballot boxes to counting venues underway.

The Electoral Commissioner said Enga, Hela, Southern Highlands and Eastern Highlands have completed polling.

He announced that Jiwaka, Simbu and Western Highlands will poll on Friday 15th of July.

“I dispel all rumours and now confirm that these three provinces will poll come Friday,” said Sinai.

Mr Sinai further stated that Madang, Morobe including East and West Sepik are winding down polling and counting is progressing for some open seats.

“The election in the New Guinea Islands region is also progressing. New Ireland is into counting with East and West New Britain. Manus is expected to start counting on Thursday,” Sinai said.

Mr Sinai said for Southern Region, extraction of polling teams continue in Oro, Central, Milne Bay and Gulf.

Sinai said NCD is expected to start counting on Thursday with only delay for Moresby North-East following delays and complains.

“Generally I am pleased that things are progressing. Apart from security and logistics issues, the concern on common roll remain alarming.” said EC Sinai.

He further stated that most provinces are into counting after completing training for counting officials.

Sinai also announced that EC officers will soon update its website. He said the public could access election reports or results for counting.

“This would be the official page for the Electoral Commission and the public will be able to access information and be informed,” said Sinai.