Police get tough on scrutineers’ movements in tally room

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
POLICE yesterday removed three scrutineers who insisted on staying back at a counting venue in Port Moresby while others had gone out for a break.
Metropolitan Superintendent Benjamin Turi yesterday said police had also removed two scrutineers who wanted to leave the room while counting was in progress.
He said the three yesterday had to be removed because “there was no one in the Rita Flynn court”.
“All the counting officers and other scrutineers went for a break when counting was suspended in the morning,” he said. “But these three scrutineers decided to stay back in the counting venue. So police removed them.”
Turi said the two on Monday were stopped from re-entering the counting venue because they had decided to walk out while the counting was still progressing. “These two scrutineers were among the nine who had protested over some things they claimed were not right. So they walked out,” he said.
“We warned them that if they did not return, they would be banned from the counting venue. The rest returned while those did not. They will not be re-admitted for the rest of counting.”
Turi warned candidates to warn their scrutineers to observe the rules during the counting process.
“If they have any complaints, they can take it up with the Court of Disputed Returns,” he said.