Dept ordered to release fund

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By KARO JESSE
THE Supreme Court has given until Friday for Finance secretary Dr Ken Ngangan to release K5 million requested by the Electoral Commission for a court-ordered recount of the Kandep Open seat.
Justice Nicholas Kirriwom issued the order last week after he granted an application by the Electoral Commission seeking an extension of the deadline for the recount.
Justice Kirriwom said the order, directed to the secretary, was to ensure that there was no ambiguity or uncertainty about the recount since the matter had been in court for a long time and needed to end.
He made the order in terms of the order of Dec 21, which allowed a month to complete the recount, will lapse on Thursday and is to be extended to Feb 26.
The results of the recount are to be filed in the National Court registry at Waigani on March 1.
The commission sought extension of the time to complete the recount on the grounds that one month, as previously ordered by the court, was insufficient to arrange funding, organise security and transportation of the ballot boxes from Wabag to the new counting location in Kundiawa, Chimbu.
Acting chief Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai, through his filed affidavit, told the court that after he received the orders of Dec 21, he wrote to Finance and requested for an estimated K5 million funding for the recount.
The commission’s lawyer, Steven Ranewa, of Kawat Lawyers, told the court that public accounts were closed on Dec 14 when the recount was ordered.
He submitted that the commission did not have any reserve funds to conduct the recount, thus, it was waiting on the funds to be released which had caused a delay.
Sinai, in his affidavit, further stated that the commission had taken all necessary steps to comply with the court orders, however, matters constraining the commission’s effort were beyond its control and power.
Justice Kirriwom extended the time after taking into consideration the arrangement of funds, security personnel and transportation costs.