BRC gives more time to enrol

THE Bougainville Referendum Commission has extended the enrolment of Bougainvilleans living outside Bougainville until July 8.
Chief referendum officer Mauricio Claudio said high voter turnout and delays in delivering enrolment forms to more remote provinces meant more time was needed to make sure every eligible Bougainvillean had the chance to enrol.
“We have been delighted by the response of Bougainvilleans, both in Bougainville and outside Bougainville, who had never enrolled to vote in an election before, now putting their name on the referendum roll,” Claudio said in a statement.
“Thank you to everyone across the country who have been active in travelling to their provincial PNG Electoral Commission office to enrol – you now have until Monday, July 8 to be included in this phase two of enrolment.
“We know that conducting this historic referendum across Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia is new and would have its challenges. But our commitment remains to work within the given laws, resources and timeline to ensure Bougainvilleans could have the opportunity to vote.”
In Bougainville, ward recorders are handing in their phase two enrolment forms. All forms will be quality checked, before data entry begins to develop a preliminary referendum roll.
In August, the preliminary roll will be publicly displayed in all wards for people to check their name, spelling and complete an enrolment form if needed.
For anyone in Bougainville not yet on the roll, go to your BRC regional centre in Buka, Arawa and Buin – check if you are already on the roll and if not, fill out an enrolment form.
In August, the commission will conduct phase three of creating the referendum roll, which will be the last chance to enrol.
We will be doing mass awareness before then to tell people how this short stage will work,” the chief referendum officer said.
The BRC is also mobilising international teams to travel to Solomon Islands and Australia to enrol Bougainvilleans living in Honiara, Gizo, Brisbane and Cairns.