Walara confident of having fair election

Returning officer Jack Walara does not see tribal fights, lawlessness and the remoteness of the Tari-Pori electorate in Hela standing in his way to run a fair election.
Tribal fights and lawlessness, both widespread in the province, have disrupted past elections.
Warlords and tribal enemies seldom come  face to face in peace-negotiations but taking part in the elections, will see them sharing many common grounds.
A total of 18 candidates are contesting the Tari-Pori open seat, MP and Finance Minister James Marape among them.
Walara, 42, and married with nine children, is confident that he will be conducting a safe and fair election as he has the skills and experience to do so, he said.
Walara comes from the Peta clan, Munima ward in the Tagali local level government (LLG).
He became a public servant and worked as a teacher from 1988 to 1998.
He went on to further his studies and is now  the deputy chief executive officer of the Tari-Pori electorate.
Walara became presiding officer in many  elections and in 2002 he was appointed as an assistant returning officer for the Tagali local level government.
He did his task well and in 2012 he was appointed the returning officer and conducted the local level government elections the following year. Walara said Tari tribal fights were “normal”
“In here, we will need the security forces to be present when people cast their votes,” he said.
“Tari is known for tribal fights and what we plan is to get everyone to one location flooded with the security personnel.”
Walara said he needed funding from the Electoral Commission to pay allowances for their casual workers, logistics support and security forces so that would help for a smoother polling.
“It will depend on how you manage it and ensure that things are working well according to your plans,” he said.
“I’m confident that the elections in the Tari-Pori electorate will be completed on time, same as other electorates and it would be delivered without any disturbance and fairly.
“Polling is just around the corner but I’m confident that it will work out well.”