Gulf yet to complete polling

COUNTING in Gulf has been delayed further as remote areas in certain local level governments (LLGs) are yet to complete polling, an official says.
Election manager Poevare Tore said while polling was almost complete, the main concern was to ensure remote areas reachable by helicopter completed their polling before polling teams stationed in each LLGs returned to Kerema.
“We have completed polling in East Kerema and Central Kerema LLGs, while Tauri-Lakekamu LLG will require a helicopter to transport two teams into the mountain areas and back to the main station,” he said.
Tore said other remote LLGs including Kaintiba and Kotidanga had also completed their polling and were now waiting for their polling teams to gather at their designated stations before departing to the provincial capital.
Kerema Open has almost completed polling, and the same has been done for Kikori Open with Ihu LLG polling teams returning to Kerema ahead of teams in the Baimuru, East and West Kikori LLGs.
“Ihu has completed polling with teams travelling back to Kerema via sea, escorted by our security personnel present on the ground,” Tore said.
He said the other LLGs would complete their polling and return to Kerema for counting. “As soon as all polling teams arrive in Kerema, we will start counting which will be conducted in LLGs,” he said.
In addition, Tore said due to current power disruptions in town, counting would be conducted every morning and end in the evening to avoid inconvenience until the process concluded.

Briefs

Mori wants papers stamped
CANDIDATES in Chimbu want every ballot paper to be stamped to differentiate between fake and genuine ballot papers, Chuave MP Wera Mori says. “There are incidents of extra ballot papers being smuggled into the six electorates of Chimbu. It is highly likely that polling will be rigged with extra ballot papers and that candidates contesting the seats in the province want every ballot leaving the Electoral Commission office in Kundiawa to be marked and stamped,”he said.

Control supporters: Pundari
SIR John Pundari says political leaders are now needed in Enga, more than ever, to tame their supporters who are going on a rampage, destroying government and private properties. “They should not remain in the luxury of hotels in Port Moresby. We cannot blame the Electoral Commission and the security personnel for criminal activities carried out by candidates or supporters,” he said, adding that Governor Sir Peter Ipatas must return home to help calm the situation.

Saonu condemns violence
MOROBE Governor Ginson Saonu has condemned the actions of those who burnt ballot boxes at Markham and Kabwum, but has promised to ensure the two districts have representatives in parliament. He said this level of election violence was unusual for the province and called on Morobe’s other districts to avoid what happened in the two districts.

Counting in ENB peaceful
Counting in East New Britain has been peaceful despite minor interruptions in all counting venues in the province. According to the provincial election manager and returning officer Joap Voivoi, counting for the ENB seat was interrupted last Friday after scrutineers wanted the presiding officer replaced. However, Voivoi told the scrutineers that the only way to sort out the issue was to go to court. He said counting for the seat was slow but he expected it to be fast this week.

Police told to be vigilant
Oro administrator Trevor Magei says the people of Northern chose to have a peaceful and free campaign and polling period and it will continue into counting. Magei, however, reminded the provincial police commander Chief Insp Ewai Segi, and the joint security task force to be vigilant during counting. “It is no time to be complacent,” he said.

Singura cites challenges
Morobe police commander Supt Jacob Singura says security personnel’s main challenge has been with the transportation of election materials for polling in the rural areas. “A helicopter was considered the main mode of transport for the rural areas but many of our security personnel were left stranded with election materials in some areas. But we did manage to help polling in other rural areas.”