Group: Change recount venue

By ZACHERY PER
THE group blocking authorities from removing the ballot boxes for the Chimbu regional seat from the Kundiawa police station wants the recount done in either Jiwaka or Eastern Highlands.
National Court judge Justice Collin Makail had ordered the recount last month after the election petition filed by former governor Noah Kool.
The seat was won by Michael Dua in last year’s general election.
Group’s spokesman Beno Kamtai said they had accepted the National Court decision to have a recount but it should be done in either Jiwaka or Eastern Highlands which were the closest venues.
The Electoral Commission wanted the recount done in Lae but officials and police were stopped from taking the boxes out of the Kundiawa police station by the group who claimed to Dua’s supporters.
“We do not want the recount to be conducted in Lae as suggested by the Electoral Commission because we sense something dubious is likely to occur,” he said.
“As the court order stated, the recount should not be done in Chimbu. So we want it to be done in one of our closest neighbours – Jiwaka or Eastern Highlands.”
Justice Makail found that there was enough evidence of illegal practices, errors or omissions at counting venues during the 2017 general election to warrant a recount.
He ordered the Electoral Commission to complete the recount of the votes by or before Feb 7, 2019.
He also ordered that the recount be held at a venue to be fixed by the returning officers from outside Chimbu, not previously engaged in that regional seat polling.
Meanwhile, Simbu police commander Superintendent Jacob Singura said the Electoral Commission was yet to respond to a petition by the group given to Simbuelection manager Rev Tom Sine.