‘Govt staff’ contest polls

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

A LOCAL level government president in Southern Highlands claims that some public servants are contesting the elections without resigning from the Government as required by law.

David Navur, a third term council president for the Nipa Basin LLG, named at least three government officials – two project officers and a driver – who he claimed were contesting the elections but had not resigned from the public service in the Nipa-Kutubu district.

Navur told The National from Nipa that public servants wanted to contest elections must resign six months before the issue of writs.

“I don’t know whether there is a change in the electoral laws. Here we have public servants still on the government’s payroll being nominated to contest council and president seats,” Navur said.

He named the three public servants and said there could be more.

Navur urged the electoral office in the district to screen the candidates properly and eliminate the names of public servants who had not resigned from their work.

“If one of them wins the election, there will be a by-election and it will cost Electoral Commission more to conduct the election again,” he said.

Twenty candidates are contesting Navur’s president’s seat. He urged candidates and supporters to campaign peacefully and respect others.

“I want to appeal to the people and candidates for trouble-free elections and maintain peace and harmony in the district,” he said.