Hela allocates K1m for LLG elections
The National, Tuesday 11th June 2013
THE Hela provincial government last week approved K1 million to top up the PNG Electoral Commission’s budget of K2 million for the local level government (LLG) elections.
Hela Governor Anderson Agiru said while provincial governments had been requested to pay K500,000 to cover a K30 million shortfall in the PNGEC budget for the third level government elections, Hela decided to allocate double the amount to ensure election operations in the new province were trouble free.
“We have just had tough national elections 10 months ago. We are a new province. We are custodians of important national resource projects,” he said.
“We want the elections to be an expression of the free will of our people. At the same time we want it to be free from any form of violence,” Agiru said.
Hela has 13 LLG areas including Mt Bosavi.
The governor said he wanted the Hela component of the funding to be applied to beef up security operations, help fly election workers and security personnel to remote areas such as Mt Bosavi, Lake Kopiago, Benaria and Kori.
As a special condition, Agiru insisted that only church pastors be selected to conduct counting of votes after the elections.
He also urged his people to take ownership of the LLG elections and ensure it was trouble free.
“Election officials ought to also conduct elections fairly and impartially and steer clear of corrupt practices,” he said.
Last week the Hela government held its last meeting to farewell the members of the inaugural provincial assembly.
Agiru said he made sure that all members’ entitlements were paid to June, 2013 and wished each council president well in the coming elections.
“I told them the experience they gained when they were with me in the Southern Highlands government and again in the Hela government, should be invaluable to help build communities and even help them win elections,” he said.
“I told them if they lose the elections, it is not because the provincial government did not help them.”
“It can only be because they have not run their respective councils well.”