B’ville writs to open on Friday

THE writs for the second general election for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville will be issued on Friday and will be returned on June 4.
ABG electoral commissioner Reitama Taravaru last Friday announced that Bougainville was well prepared to conduct its second general election.
Mr Taravaru told reporters nominations would close at 4pm on April 2 and polling would start from May 7 to May 21.
“Nominations for candidates can be lodged at the respective constituencies with the returning officers while the candidates for the president can be lodged with Bougainville returning officer George Tarala at the commission office in Buka.
“The new common roll updates have been completed and will be printed soon with more than 100,000 eligible voters registered,” he said.
Mr Taravar said a breakthrough and success stories for this election were the embracing of the coming election by the Mekamui faction of the no-go-zone in Paguna and Tonu areas in South Bougainville.
On security, Mr Taravaru said: “I assure you this is not an issue at the moment.
“Everyone is looking forward to a meaningful election and there is no threatening situation,” he added.
However, Mr Taravaru is concerned that Treasury has yet to release the K6.8 million from the National Government while K1.8 million from ABG had been used.