Parties endorsing more than one candidate per electorate: Marat

POLITICAL parties are breaking the laws by endorsing more than one candidate in an electorate, Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat said yesterday.
Dr Marat raised the concerns during Question Time in Parliament in a series of questions to Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye.
“We thought that the LPV system was going to solve a lot of problems associated with first-past- the- post system, but it now seems that a lot of political parties are endorsing more than one candidate for certain electorate.
“They officially endorse one, they will put up another two as independent candidates.
“Under the integrity law – that is double endorsement, section 54 (2) of the Integrity Law, where it says where a political party has endorsed a candidate to contest the election in an electorate, the party is prohibited from providing any form of support to any other candidates in that election.
“What is the Government in association with the Electoral Commission doing to prevent this particular breach of the constitutional law?”
Mr Polye replied that the Government stood firm on its commitment to making sure the laws of this country were upheld at all times.
“The responsibility is on all political parties that we comply with the laws so we endorse only one official candidate in the seats or electorate,” Mr Polye said.
Mr Polye said he would advice the Prime Minister and other authorities to ensure that such events don’t occur and that the laws are applicable.
He said those found guilty should be prosecuted.
“We, as leaders and political parties, must comply with the very laws that the MP has quoted and the Government supports the implementation of this law.”

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