Bad weather delays counting in Gulf

By CALDRON LAEPA in Kerema
COUNTING in Gulf province has been further delayed because of bad weather which held up the transportation of ballot boxes from the hinterlands of Kikori into Kerema.Gulf provincial elections manager Poevare Tore announced this yesterday to police and a crowd of people who gathered to see the event.“We are yet to transport the ballot boxes from Kikori and get the last polling team from the hinterlands of Kikori.“All polling for Kerema open has been completed and the last box from Kotidanga arrived on Sunday. So we are only waiting for Kikori. “If the polling is completed and the boxes are flown in, we should look at starting counting Thursday or Friday most probably,” Tore said.He said they opted to start counting Kerema open ballot boxes first but scrutineers and a few candidates who attended a briefing did not want this.He said the scrutineers and candidates wanted all counting of open and provincial seats done on the same day.It is understood that counting of Kikori Open ballot papers will be held at the Catholic hall and the Kerema open and regional seats at the old Government House shed.