DEPUTY Prime Minister Don Polye has called on the public and stakeholders of the national election to work together and ensure a successful national election.
Mr Polye said he believed PNG would not experience a failed election.
His comments, however, are contradictory to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare’s expressions of uncertainty and the possibility of the Electoral Commissioner deferring the dates of issuing the writs.
But Mr Polye said time was limited for Parliament to make constitutional amendments for deferral.
Mr Polye said the Government was aware that there were problems in the common roll updates and LPV awareness.
“In some areas, this was not satisfactorily done. The Electoral Commission gave the Government its assurance that it would address these issues before the elections and the issuing of writs. The Government will get a detailed briefing from the Electoral Commission before we go into polling,” he said.
Mr Polye said although the reports were negative, a positive approach must be taken to address the election issues in the coming polls.
He was responding to the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Order Kappa Yarka, who asked whether the Electoral Commission officers would be corrupted or bribed during polling, since they would be marking the ballot papers for the thousands of illiterates in his province.