Do not sell your vote

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By HELEN TARAWA
PRIME Minister James Marape has urged voters not to sell their constitutional right for a plate of food.
“Whoever you vote will construct the government, look into the party that the candidate is aligned with, look into his policy if he is an independent.”
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Manasseh Makiba yesterday, Marape said the nation had done well in the nomination period.
He appealed for all to maintain the standard that was shown during the nomination period as the nation goes into the general election this week.
“I want to thank our country, our citizens, nomination closes today and the conduct of our people nationwide is very satisfactory.
“In the last week when nominations opened, our people have behaved.
“They have expressed their free will in nomination and expressed their free will in support to candidates.”
Marape said the Government will do its best to ensure police were resourced, the Defence Force and Correctional Services and the Electoral Commission was given full support to ensure our citizens exercised their rights,” he said.
Marape urged the citizens to take the same attitude right into the campaign and polling periods.
“For the team that I lead today, we are all about economic drive for our country, empowering our citizens where they are allowed them to grow the next mile to be fully economically independent.
“I appeal to our people, read deep into the candidates, see their alignments.
“Papua New Guineans you have the power in your hands now, whoever you vote you are constructing government, vote purposefully.
“The leader of the party that gets the highest number of candidates will be invited to form the new government.
“Construct your government at the polling stations, vote for whoever you want to be prime minister.”
Meanwhile, Marape will be heading to Bougainville today to get the process of campaign underway.
He said Pangu was faring well with its candidate numbers for the general election with 80 candidates, of which five are women.
The current sitting members are 38 with 42 new candidates.
The women candidates include Jennifer Rudd (Milne Bay provincial), Natasha Panta (Alotau Open), Luciele Paru (NCD regional), Mofa Nina Giheno (Henganogi Open) and Samoa Rage (Hiri-Koiari Open).
Party President Erigere Singin told The National that there were more women interested to contest under Pangu but had withdrawn at the last minute.