Govt allocates K100mil for LLG election, says Abel

By HELEN TARAWA
The Government has an obligation to deliver the local level government elections this year and has appropriated K100 million for that, Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel, pictured, says.
Abel said the PNG Electoral Commission was responsible for the elections and the Government was also subjected to the constitution that provided for these elections to be conducted every five years.
“We have appropriated K100 million for conducting the local level government elections in October and it’s the Electoral Commission that’ responsible.
“There are requirements as to the conducting of elections every five years, we have to be careful that we do not play around with those timings.
“We cannot play around with those timings, we have an obligation and we expect to see those elections conducted.”
Concerns were raised by councillors from certain districts over the LLG elections stating that the hosting of Apec and other important events this year might disrupt the elections.
Abel said the mandate of councillors was for five years and it was the responsibility of the PNGEC to administer that constitutional provision.
“We have an obligation and we expect to see those elections conducted by the Electoral Commissioner,” Abel said.
Meanwhile, Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu said his government had allocated K1m for the LLG elections in the nine districts.