Madang to start counting without Middle Ramu

Momase

Polling in Madang will wind down by tomorrow and counting will begin next Tuesday except for Middle Ramu, according to election manager Peter Yasaro.
Yasaro said voting in Middle Ramu started late and he would request for additional time to allow the electorate to complete polling next week.
“We expect most electorates to complete polling this week and counting should start by Tuesday next week.”
There were slight changes to the counting venues and the electoral commission administration team was working around the clock this week to sort that out.
A source said the 2012 outstanding debt for the use of Holy Spirit open hall has been sorted out by Madang provincial administration and counting for Madang regional seat would be held there.
Counting for Madang open will be held at Jomba Parish hall, Rai Coast at the United Church hall, Usino-Bundi at Gospel Lighthouse Four Square church hall, Bogia at Yawar LLG chamber at Bogia station and Sumkar at the Megiar Pastoral Centre on the Madang north coast.
Middle Ramu counting was initially planned for Tusbab Secondary School hall but has changed and a new venue would be arranged.
Yasaro said he took claims about illegal ballot papers floating around in the electorates as mere hearsay which could not be proven.
“The overall polling was ok; only in some parts of Rai Coast the presiding officers were forced to finish the ballot papers,” he said.
Yasaro thanked Madang provincial administrator Daniel Aloi for contributing around K1.2 million of provincial administration funds towards election operations.
Helicopter trips to rural polling areas in the province were the most expensive component of the whole operation, he said.