Election education groups accused of wasting money

 SIX civil society organisations in East New Britain have been accused of failing to honour their contracts with the Electoral Commission during the 2012 general election.

They were given K15,000 each to educate the people about good governance, voting for good leaders,  early campaigning and the voting system.

The CSOs are ENB Ambassadors for Peace, Vunatakanabeo HIV/AIDS and disability group, ENB Field Workers Association, Motosimo Group, Adventist Development Relief Agency and Beehives Promotions.

The awareness programme was funded by the Commission through support funding by AusAID.

Outgoing provincial election manager Terrence Hetinu said the CSOs failed to submit copies of their reports to the provincial awareness steering committee and provincial election steering committee.

Hetinu said: “The result was that most of these groups acted independently without adherence to the PASC and PESC resulting in misuse of funds, illegal awareness, taking sides, dissemination of wrong information and failure to submit copies of report.”

Hetinu said the same groups claimed  they had been contracted again to carry out awareness ahead of the PASC deliberation on how best to carry out awareness,based on last year’s events.

Chairman of the PESC Edward Lamur said he would not allow the groups back in.

He said they would be guided by the information and awareness committee headed by Oscar Pidian.

No comments could be obtained from the organisations.