Counting for Namatanai to be held in Kavieng

COUNTING for the Namatanai electorate in New Ireland province will be done in the Kavieng electorate.
Namatanai returning officer Michael Ago­vauwa said at a meeti­­ng with the provincial election steering committee, police commander, election manager, returning officers and presiding officers, it was decided yesterday to move the counting venue to the Red Cross office in Kavieng town.
Ago­vauwa said he had argued that it was legally right to conduct counting in the electo­rate and that it would be costly to shift all logistics to Kavieng.
But the meeting decided that because of the continuous power and communications problems in Namatanai, it was better to move the counting to Kavieng.
On Monday, polling officials threatened to boycott counting if they did not receive their allowances but the meeting assured them they would be given their allowances yesterday and today.
He said if all went  well, counting for the province should start on Saturday.
The counting venue for the regional and Kavieng open seat will be conducted at the Peter ToRot Catholic hall.
The Namatanai electorate has seen 12 teams complete polling in Central Niu Island, team eight and nine com­-
pleted polling in Na­matanai yesterday and teams 10 and 11 are expected to complete polling today.
Polling has been completed in Konoagil, Tanir and Nimamar.