Lighting and communication systems for counting in Madang yet to be installed

TECHNICIANS are still installing lighting and communication systems for the counting of votes in five stations in Madang province.
Police radio communication and power supply are two crucial elements to ensure counting is conducted peacefully and on time in each district.
In Bogia, police station commander Chief Sgt Sawaer Adolf said PNG Power Ltd technicians travelled to the station on Monday to repair the generator supply system.
At Aiome in Middle Ramu, returning officer Adolf Duangha said they would use a generator.   Telikom PNG is yet to install police communication systems in Saidor station, Raicoast district.
Provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr said most outstation police radios were non-operational and 90% of officers who travelled to inland areas to provide security used mobile phones to give situation reports.
“Digicel PNG’s initiative to install towers in remote areas of the province made it possible for police to update central command when access to generators to charge phones and signal was available in remote       
areas,” Wagambie Jr said.
Those districts likely to use more fuel for generators during counting are Bogia, Middle Ramu and Raicoast.
Usino-Bundi and Sumkar are located along the Ramu-Madang and Madang-Bogia highway respectively and are connected to electricity supplies as is Madang town.