Abide by electoral laws

By right, all the loud speakers should have fallen silent by midnight on Friday.
All the posters should have come off by Saturday although they probably won’t.
Election 2017, touted to be one of the most important in PNG’s 42-year history, has reached the half-way mark.
It came after the hard fought exchanges on schedule, whether to delay because of concerns on the common roll.
Ahead lies polling which began on Saturday and will end on July 8.
The counting period then runs from July 9 to July 24 with the return of writs on or before that day. And then the campaign to form a new government for the ninth parliament.
An important advice by the Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato that should not be taken lightly is for all eligible voters to correctly note their polling venues, times and dates so they do not miss out on participating in this important exercise of electing their parliamentarians.
Polling in most places start today.
Those in the one-day polling areas should not misuse or deny themselves the one-day polling because it’s their only opportunity to make a difference.
All eligible voters must know where to go and what to do when they get to the polling clerk. They will each receive one ballot paper for the provincial governor (coloured blue) and one for ballot paper for a member in the open electorate (coloured yellow).
The voter then choosesd three candidates among the names on the ballot paper by placing the number “1” as the first preference, indicate the second preference with the number “2” and the number “3” for the third candidate.
Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group in Papua New Guinea Sir Anand Satyanand is encouraging everyone participating in this important national process to abide by the electoral laws of the country to ensure a peaceful and successful election.
Interestingly, the focus has now switched from Waigani to the provinces.
So far so good, there has not been much disruption to polling but maybe that’s too early to say anything.
All will be well.
Polling must be completed and the ballots counted.
We cross our fingers, wait with bated breath and pray that the news coming in from throughout the country will not be of widespread violence such as what happened in 2012.
We pray that the people’s will can exert itself above the naked greed of those who wish to destroy ballot boxes or hijack them or coerce or intimidate voters.
And so far through nomination and campaign and the first two days of polling, the news has not all been bad.
The peaceful campaign could be attributed to development and a sign that Papua New Guineans have matured.
Sure there have been isolated incidents of violence. The count now from election-related violence stands at six deaths from West New Britain, Gulf, Chimbu, Southern Highlands, Port Moresby and Eastern Highlands.
However, much as we might be against this being repeated, the odds are against us.
The stakes are extremely high. It is not just a power thing anymore.
Money, and loads of it, is in the offing.
We notice people have grown wary of politics and politicians. Maybe it’s only where we are.
They have grown tired of all the false promises in the past which have rarely been fulfilled.
And the voter has matured. He is more circumspect. He is more concerned about his rights and his future. And many more are now beginning to realise the power they hold in their hands.
They realise that when they polls, they wield a lot of power.
With the power comes a very special responsibility to vote not just for the friend or tribesmen but for their own welfare and future.
Realising that responsibility and performing the role in the past have been far apart.
In the past voters have been threatened and intimidated into voting for certain candidates.
And we hope people vote for candidates based on party policies and not personalised vote such as voting for candidates they think will mostly likely help them directly or help their families or their villages.
Some have already made up their minds while others are still undecided. All that said, everyone is looking forward to a good, fair and free polling.