Take heed of circular

PNG Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has banned serving teachers from assisting the Electoral Commission performing specific duties such as returning officer and assistant returning officer for the purposes of and during the 2017 general election.
By circular number 10 of 2016 dated November 3, 2016, issued pursuant to section 105 of the Teaching Service Commission Act 1988 the TSC states in part: “This Circular comes into effect immediately on the date of issue and remains in effect for all national, provincial and local level government elections and by-elections until revised takes place (sic), repealed or withdrawn.”
It further states: “All teachers who are known to be involved in or with political parties or candidates, i.e. teachers whose neutrality is in question are not to do electoral duties. “
The reason is obvious.
Democratic election process must remain independent and fair, free from interference. In our local context the next person is bound to know another’s family relations or any form of social association.
The election law is clear for Electoral Commission and its agents or officers to comply.
Any person, not necessarily an education officer, who is associated to a candidate must not be appointed to conduct any duties in the election process.
The TSC expressly states under paragraph 1(c) of its circular: “All Teachers are not to be involved in duties as Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers”.
This Circular has effect and force nationwide.
Neither the Electoral Commission nor the laws it administers has any power to override the TSC’s Circular and the directions and prohibitions therein.
In this context, the acting education adviser for the Southern Highlands has on November 24, 2016, written to the provincial election manager in Mendi reiterating the TSC’s direction and listing serving teachers with their file numbers that are appointed assistant returning officers throughout the province.
These are Meato Pala (00085174) Kagua High School; Steven Reali (10346008) Mendi Secondary School; Steven Maya (10208425) Imane Primary School; Philip Nande (102084990) Alenda Primary School; Kawa Paraka (Not supplied) Kendagl Primary School; and Simon Yangen Returning Officer (00250481) Mogol Secondary School.
There could be other teachers but these are the names specified by the Acting Education Adviser.
This article is not intended to apportion any wrongdoing on the part of these teachers.
I am not saying that each of them have political association with any particular candidate.
Rather it is simply to highlight the fact that they are prohibited by their employer from participating as returning officers and assistant returning officers in the 2017 general elections or any subsequent by-elections.
It is also to bring the circular to the attention of the Electoral Commission.
It may be that the election manager or the Electoral Commission has no knowledge of the TSC circular justifying them to keep these particular teachers appointed to these positions.
Be that as it may, I call upon the Electoral Commission and the election manager in Mendi to take heed of the TSC circular which is a lawful direction issued under an Act of Parliament.
Replace these immediately with other suitable persons do as to avoid unnecessary issues.

Nemo Yalo, Via email