Kairuku-Hiri last to end polling

CENTRAL province is to begin counting on Monday with Kairuku-Hiri the last electorate to return ballot boxes yesterday.
The last batch of ballot boxes arrived in Port Moresby yesterday morning from Kairuku and the Mekeo-Kuni local level governments.
They are kept at the Central police
headquaters.
Returning officer Edward Kila said with all ballots boxes under tight security, they were ready to begin counting.
Assistant election manager for Central Sarah Yanderave said counting was expected to last three weeks.
Kila said ballot boxes for Koiari and Hiri LLGs were brought to the storage area after polling on Saturday and Monday respectively.
“Kairuku-Hiri electorate is set for counting on Monday. It will be held at the PNGDF Murray Barracks. Altogether the ballots for the four LLGs will be brought over to the counting area on Sunday for counting on Monday,” he said.
Twenty-five ballot boxes were transported from Bereina to Port Moresby by police vehicles yesterday morning.
Serial numbers were checked by the returning officer, scrutineers and the police before they were locked up in the containers outside the Central police office.
They will be brought to the counting area on Sunday afternoon.