More funding request for SHP

By YVONNE HAIP
THE Southern Highlands province is ready to conduct a free, fair and peaceful election – but it needs more funding to achieve that.
Provincial election steering committee chairman Dr Bravy Koensong said a submission to the provincial executive council for K5 million to help the election funding was not accepted.
The committee was given K200,000 which Koensong said was not enough.
He said the province was ready to conduct a good election with the help of the disciplined forces. And with its history of failed election, money was needed to make this happen.
The committee plans to take the matter to the Electoral Commission and the government.
The committee does not want to have another failed election.
Koensong, who is also the deputy administrator, said there was also a communication breakdown between the committee and the commission.
“I am in the dark and have not heard or been contacted by the Electoral Commission regarding the conduct of the election in the province,” he said.
He said the province should be treated as a special case.
 because it had experienced a failed election. The geographical location of the province should also be taken into consideration.
“But there is no communication between us and the Electoral Commission,” he said.
“I don’t know what is happening.”
The committee will meet soon to discuss the election, appointment of election officials in the district and local level governments, and distribute the money allocated by the provincial executive council.