Election boss says no to early campaigning

By ABIGAIL APINA
POLITICAL parties and intending candidates who have started campaigning have been warned to stop immediately as it is illegal until next year.
Acting electoral commissioner John Kalamoro warned it was illegal to campaign while addressing participants at a mini Electoral expo at the new Kokopo market last Friday
“Any campaign activities by political parties and candidates have to stop as it is illegal according to law at this time as they are not recognised as candidates yet until they pay up their nomination fees next year when writs are issued,” Kalamoro said.
He urged the public to report suspicious activities to police, adding that these were criminal activities.
The expo ended a two-week awareness pilot project in the country carried out by tertiary students in partnership with the PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) to promote good governance and leadership and to educate people on electoral processes.
“Electoral awareness is not tied to Electoral Commission alone, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that awareness is maintained in their families and in their communities,” Kalamoro said.
He added that awareness was necessary for the enrolment process problems to be addressed resulting in a new process where names will be enrolled within wards under their family names starting this year.
He urged that voting seriously was necessary in 2012 to ensure good governance.
He thanked tertiary students in the province for completing an awareness pilot project which was the beginning of a strategy which will be carried out around the country.