Commission needs to improve methods, processes: Wampe

By PISAI GUMAR
IF this country is to have good leaders, the Electoral Commission should ensure constructive methods and processes are provided so citizens can exercise their democratic rights, a provincial police commander says.
Morobe  commander Augustine Wampe said that most security issues on the ground was related to the commission’s failure to provide an apt, updated Common Roll and adequate number of ballot papers.
“Citizens want to exercise their freedom to choose leaders and it is the mandatory obligation of the Electoral Commission to ensure an updated Common Roll of the eligible voting population and an adequate number of ballot papers are provided,” Wampe said.
He said that citizens were frustrated because the common roll was not in order and not enough ballot papers were supplied, depriving citizens’ rights to vote and yet the commission was saying everything was okay, Wampe said.
“If we want a good leader, the commission and responsible authorities must ensure apt methods and constructive processes are set in place to instil trust and confidence for citizens to exercise their democratic rights,” he said.
“The period to update the common roll was three-four years earlier instead of conducting last-minute updates and messing up the 2017 elections” Wampe said.
Wampe confirmed that four men and a woman were arrested for tampering with two ballot boxes at the Bubia polling and Wampar urban in Huon Gulf on Saturday and they appeared in court on Monday.
“The suspects are now behind bars. They explained that they were frustrated because their names were not updated in the Common Roll,” Wampe said.
He said the Electoral Commission had enough time to update the names of all the eligible voters but it failed to do so.
“Two other women suspects are still at large” he said.
Meanwhile, the Morobe police chief said that in Finschhafen, a man was arrested for alleged possession of offensive weapons and ammunition.