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Sports |
Electoral Commissioner’s directives
contradictory
THE Electoral Commissioner Andrew
Trawen has issued some contradictory directives or orders. I refer
to the declaration of the member-elect of Mount Hagen Open.
Mr Trawen had initially issued a much publicised order that the
Returning Officers (ROs) must not entertain any more disputes on
counting of votes from scrutinisers of candidates.
They must concentrate on counting of votes and any disputes be
settled out in the Court of Disputed Returns.
Basing on that, he has rejected the earlier declaration of William
Duma as member-elect of Hagen Open and sacked the RO for not
following his orders.
Most of us thought that the actions were fair and just.
Then in a dramatic move, Mr Trawen reversed his earlier decision
and endorsed the actions of his RO and declared Mr Duma.
These actions are contradictory and I condemn his actions.
His explanations were simply shallow. One of his reasons states
that Mr Duma scored more than 50% of the votes and the counting of
the disputed boxes would not make any difference. This statement
is incorrect.
Mount Hagen Open electorate has a population of more than 92,000
eligible voters. This figure is confirmed by the Electoral
Commission’s earlier press releases.
To be declared a winner by absolute majority, one has to score
more than 46,000 votes.
Duma scored only 36,727 votes which equates to about 40% of the
total eligible votes.
Where is the justification, Mr Electoral Commissioner?
To be fair and just, the remaining boxes for Hagen Open must be
counted.
Every citizen has the right to vote and be counted. No one should
be left out of this very important event. By doing so, you are
depriving the rights of those voters whose votes are in those
eight boxes.
In addition, the people of Yamka Pepka of Tega village have been
deprived of their rights to vote and be counted in the general
election since 2002.
Their votes were not been counted in 2002 and now in 2007.
This is very sinister and no thinking person in his or her right
sense can understand the reasons for disputing the ballot boxes
from Tega village for two consecutive elections.
The people of Western Highlands know that Yamka Pepka people are
peace loving. They do not incite trouble and when trouble looms,
they try to solve them peacefully.
There were no problems when voting at the polling booths in 2002
and this year.
When the ballot boxes from Tega are brought in for counting, these
boxes always encounter disputes. I am very sorry for the people of
Tega village.
Concerned citizen
Port Moresby
 
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