Election should not be deferred, says US rep

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
ALL elections can be improved but they should not be postponed, United States of America ambassador to the Pacific, Teddy Taylor said. 
Taylor said in a statement even in old democracies such as the US, if the election was found to be in conflict with the Constitution, it should not be postponed but improved.
“Postponing it could set bad standards,” he said.     
“If elections were not to occur in accordance with the Constitution in PNG, it would establish a negative precedent.
“Elections fulfil a fundamental contract with the people and provide the state the legitimacy to fulfil its other obligations.  
“If elections were not to occur in a regular and predictable manner, people would lose faith in the institutions of democracy.”
Taylor said the US and PNG shared a common relationship as democratic countries and the US had been actively supporting the country since independence.
He said the US “supports the national executive council’s decision to hold elections on June 23 as scheduled and is confident that the PNG government will consider its mandate to hold elections consistent with the constitution”.
The United States agency for international development is providing non-partisan support to the development of political parties, particularly the development of policy platforms. 
Taylor said the embassy would continue to encourage broadening public input on legislation and it was committed to helping train newly-elected parliamentarians on democratic roles and responsibilities.