B’ville Atolls want an extension

COUNTING is expected to start in Central and South Bougainville next Monday.
Provincial election manager Reitama Taravaru said polling had been completed in most
areas of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
Two teams are in the Suir constituency South Bougainville will complete polling today.
All ballot boxes are safely secured at the Buka police station.
Taravaru said a New Zealand-chartered vessel left Madang on Monday and was due to arrive in Buka this morning to transport polling teams and materials around the Bougainville atolls.
“I would really like to see the polling teams for the atolls be deployed immediately.
“But then it depends on whether fuel will be readily available,” he said.
Taravaru said for the four island atolls, it would take five days to complete polling.
He had sent a formal request to the Electoral Commission to ask Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio to approve five extra
polling days for the atolls located in North Bougainville.
He said until polling was completed in the atolls, counting in North Bougainville would be delayed for a few days.
Taravaru maintained there had been no real threats to the election process, with people patiently waiting for counting to start.