Good luck and vote responsibly

AFTER a long, hard run, it is finally clinch time.
Papua New Guineans marched to the polls this week.
In the National Capital District, we hope to cast our ballot today and not go for another deferral.
Wednesday’s deferral was the third in a space of days – from July 4, to July 6 and then to July 8.
Anyway, we feel duty bound to urge caution but will it be heeded?
We can point out that violence is illegal and unnecessary but will that deter violence?
We think not.
We can advise that foul play, coercion, bribery and other fraudulent behaviour will be found out in many instances and punishment will be meted out too many but such advice will be ignored out of hand, we know.
Already images on social media, purportedly out of Hela but it could be from anywhere, shows groups including clearly underage people sitting in secluded places working on white sheets which could be ballot papers.
Experience bids us hold our tongue and yet we are compelled, if not by anything then by the existence of this editorial space alone, to make the appeal again.
We appeal for fair play, for restraint, and for respect for one another.
We call especially for respect for our women so that they are able to vote for the leader of their choice without coercion and force.
No leader is worthy of the title if he will allow violence and foul play to persist as a precursor to elevating him to the post of Member of Parliament.
Such a leader is no leader and any person who votes for him or her will find out very quickly the character of the person you have voted into office.
Many times we have had people walk into this newspaper office bearing bitter complaints about this leader or that leader on whose behalf they have spent countless thousands and on whose behalf they have sacrificed much pigs and time and risked their lives to vote to office to have find out to their eternal regret that they have voted in a greedy tyrant who will not even acknowledge their presence if they shared the same room.
These people will relate graphic details of what ends they went through to get the particular leader elected.
We receive our complainant with a calm exterior but we tell ourselves what a fool he or she has been.
All the more because it is way too late.
You have to measure your leader before you vote the person to office, not after.
It does not matter a wit whether the person is a relation, or a friend, or whether he or she has given you something in exchange for your vote.
Choose carefully because you will not get a second chance for the next four years.
Choose carefully because power corrupts and power with money corrupts absolutely, even the men or women of God that come near it.
Well, you have your warning.
Let us save you the trip to the newspaper office.
Be very careful with your vote now.
Vote for the person who will have time for you.
Vote for the person who will work tirelessly on your behalf to make laws and policies in your interest.
Parliament is no business enterprise and it is dangerous corruption to think of it as such.
Good luck.