Elections end in eight provinces

By LESLIE OMARO
EIGHT provinces have completed their elections and declared their parliament representatives for the country’s ninth parliament.
They are East New Britain, East Sepik, Hela, Manus, Milne Bay, New Ireland, West New Britain and Western.Sixty-four members of parliament have been declared, with 30 retaining their seats.
Fourteen provinces are still in the final stages of the elimination counting process before declaring provincial and open seats.They are Bouginville ( three declared), Central (two declared), Enga (four declared), Madang (four declared), Morobe (six declared), NCD (two declared), Northern (two declared), Southern Highlands ( five declared), West Sepik (four declared), and Western Highlands (two declared).Of the 14 only Chimbu (seven seats), Eastern Highlands (nine seats), Gulf (three seats) and Jiwaka (four seats) have yet to make any declarations.
As a result, Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen has extended the date for the return of writs.
So far two women have won their respective open seats – Delliah Gore (Sohe open) and Loujaiya Toni (Lae open). The People’s National Congress party is the hot favourite to be called by the governor-general to form the government. It 22 members declared so far.
PNC has seven candidates leading and if they successfully come home it will be a major boost to Peter O’Neill’s party as it will add strength in dictating the formation of the national government.
Two parties that have agreed to join PNC to form a coalition government is Sir Michael Somare’s National Alliance party and Don Poyle’s Triumph Heritage Empowerment (T.H.E) Party.
T.H.E Party is second with seven candidates so far in its camp, while NA has six.
The elections have seen a good number of sitting MPs lost their seats – a sign that people have strongly spoken through the ballot box for a change in leadership to get better delivery of services.
East Sepik province had five of its sitting MPs replaced in NA strongman Arthur Somare (Angoram), Tony Aimo (Ambunti-Dreikikir open), while PNC lost Gabriel Kapris (Maprik open), Ronald Asik (Wosera-Gawi open) and Peter Wararu Waranaka (Yanguru-Sausia open).
In West Sepik – Andrew Kumbakor (Nuku open), Peter Welawe (Telefomin open), Bougainville – Michael Laimo (South Bougainville Open), Hela – John Kekeno (Koroba-Lake Kopiago open), Madang – Malai Buka (Madang open), Ben Semri (Middle Ramu open), James Yali (Raicoast open), Manus – Michael Sapau (Manus regional), Job Pomat (Manus open),  Milne Bay – John Luke Crittin (Milne Bay provincial), Moses Maladina (Esa’ala open), Jack Cameron (Kiriwina-Goodenough open), Morobe – Bart Philemon (Lae open), Koni Iguan (Markham open), Timothy Bonga (Nawae open), New Ireland Martin Ani (Kavieng open), Northern – Anthony Nene (Sohe open), Southern Highlands – Joseph Isaac (Mendi open), Philemon Embel (Nipa-Kutubu open),West New Britain – Tony Puana (Kandrian-Gloucester open), Western  –  Bob Danaya (Western provincial), Sali Subam (South Fly open) and Tom Olga (Western Highlands provincial).