Enn: Officials will be paid

 By JAYNE SAFIHAO

POLLING allowances for the Madang local level government elections will be paid by the end of this week or early next week, returning officer Philip Enn said yesterday.

Enn said the K100,000 paid by the Electoral Commission was part funded by the Madang provincial government and was ready for processing.

He said the priority would be given to polling officials, with food ration allowances to be given to assistant returning officers from the six districts.

He said allowances for police personnel engaged would be paid.

Five female councillors have been elected, a first for the province.

Two of them have been declared in the Madang urban local level government wards, one for Ambenob and two in the Usino-Bundi area.

Enn said counting progressed well in all the areas despite three incidences that marred counting in Astrolabe Bay, in Rai Coast, Arabaka, in Middle Ramu and in the Transgogol area.

He said in one incident last week a candidate’s brother cut a plastic ballot box with a bush knife.

Enn said in another incident in Arabaka, polling officials were beaten and ballot boxes destroyed. A police team was airlifted to the area and arrested two suspects.