EC selection disputed

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A GROUP of people in Mendi town are protesting the appointment of Jacob Kurap as the new provincial election manager to replace David Wakias.
Kurap’s deputy is Grace Wong.
Both are from Nipa in the province.
The protesters met election officials led by deputy electoral commissioner Simon Sinai, director operations Margaret Vagi and human resources manager Cecily Sevaru.
Kurap’s people from the Nipa-Kutubu district had welcomed his appointment, saying there was a need for a new election manager to run the national and council elections in the province.
Others in Mendi want a person from another province like Wakias.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Berry Mini said they did not encounter any major election-related problem in the past two national and local level government elections.
“We are appealing to the electoral commissioner to reinstate Wakias or appoint a neutral person to maintain stability and continuity,” he said.
Women leader Leonie Gilbert commended the electoral commissioner for appointing a female deputy election manager to run the election.