Allan: Set criteria for intending candidates

A TWO-term member of parliament and former cabinet minister has called for the need to have in place a set of criteria and requirements for Papua New Guineans vying for political office.
Unggai-Bena MP Benny Allan said this qualification process must include an increase in the nomination fee from K1,000 to about K10,000 and the enforcement of laws to penalise candidates caught handing out cash and material goods during the election period.
He said a special election task force must be set up to monitor candidates and their supporters during elections. “The terms of reference for such a task must include the right to enforce harsh penalties and automatic disqualification.”
He said compared to the last two elections, this was the worst with “desperate candidates handing out cash and material goods, beer, lamb flaps and store goods and even issuing threats.”
“These desperate people are going out of their way to use every corrupt means to bribe their way into office.
“The question for us as leaders and intending parliamentarians is: What are we trying to say to our future generatio
n?
“Are we helping them to correct our past mistakes to ensure future elections are safe, fair and transparent?”
Allan said political aspirants must realise that leadership could not be bought with money and material goods.
“God gave selected individuals the mandate to lead His people. Money cannot buy leadership.”
He said to address electoral fraud and corruption; intending candidates must meet certain criteria to be eligible to contest the elections.
“Such conditions must include proof of their K10,000 nomination fee and of good, clean character and background.”
He said the PNG Electoral Commission must also push for legislation to penalise candidates as soon as they were spotted handing out money and other material goods during the election period.
“In PNG, our court system is such that disputed cases will go through a lengthy and costly process where an MP can stay in office and serve out his full term.”
Allan said such measures would ensure the country’s level of representation in parliament, which had seen a decline in recent months, save face and be competitive with the rest of the world.