Lae open candidates want counting officials changed

By  GABRIEL LAHOC
A GROUP of Lae open candidates in Morobe province have petitioned election officers to change counting officials who have been working closely with a candidate for years.
The petition has been sent to Lae open returning officer Daniel Wainak and Morobe provincial elections manager Simon Sinai.
The petitioners include Benson Nablu, Arthur Levi, Joseph Taso, Andrew Gilmai, Paul Pora, Wallis Pingin, Wari Moere, Samuel Kewa, Michael Pai, Bob Aaron, David Kaupa, Micah Vines, Loujaya Toni, Passingan Taru, Samuel Kewa, Arthur Levi, and Mek Anthon.
They say most of the counting officials who are public servants in the Lae district administration have been working under the leadership of sitting MP Bart Philemon for 20 years.
They argue that there will be a risk of conflict of interest and bias in the counting room at the Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium.
In the petition, they called for:
l    The Lae open seat counting to start on July 7 immediately after polling ends in Morobe province on July 6;
l    The entire Lae open counting team apart from the returning officers be switched with the Nawaeb open counting team;
l    Police to provide protection and security at the outside perimeter of the counting venue and not inside the counting room and that all their firearms be kept out of sight in their vehicles;
l    All police personnel to wear police uniforms;
l    A ban on mobile phones for scrutineers, counting officials and electoral commission officials inside the counting room; and
l    All personnel  entering the counting room to voluntarily disclose all items in their possessions.
They expect a response today from the Wainak and Sinai.
A similar protest was staged last year by Lae open candidates, where they questioned the loyalty of counting officials from the Lae district administration.
Attempts to get comments from the Wainak and Sinai were unsuccessful.