Gamato meets heads of missions

ELECTORAL Commissioner Patilias Gamato has met the heads of overseas missions in the country to discuss the progress of preparations for the 2017 general election.
Australia and New Zealand will be among the countries helping the commission in the organising and staging of the event.
“I invited the head of missions, especially ambassadors and diplomats, for a brief on what we are doing in terms of election preparations,” Gamato told The National.
“We had quite a number of heads of missions, ambassadors and high commissioners, including the United Nations representative.
“I basically informed them of the strategies and election preparations for 2017.
“The intention is to provide them the information, especially on my gaps and limitations, so they can assist.
“The idea is to provide them our limitations and gaps, so if there is any way they can assist, they can do that.”
Gamato said Australia was providing technical advice through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australian Electoral Commission.
“AEC are helping us on roll updating and roll cleansing,” he said.
“DFAT is providing technical advice on procurement and logistics, and finance, so there’ll be a technical advisor attached to our finance branch to assist our people in terms of financial management.”
Gamato said New Zealand would provide technical support in procurement and logistics.