NCD counting delayed

By HELEN TARAWA
COUNTING for the National Capital District regional seat had to be delayed again yesterday when scrutineers failed to turn up at Rita Flynn counting centre.
Election Manager and Returning Officer Kila Ralai said city residents would have to wait for a little longer for the declaration of a winner. Ralai said quality checks for the NCD regional seat began on Tuesday afternoon with 16 boxes out of the 499 completed.
Yesterday counting officials arrived around 1pm and waited the whole afternoon for the scrutineers.
Ralai expects the quality checks and elimination to be completed this week. But the progress is slow because of the scrutineers’ no-show.
Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinal had directed Ralai to continue counting until a winner was declared.
Sinai further extended the deadline for the return of writs for the remaining seats still in the counting process.
Ralai said counting officials had been reduced to speed up the process.
There are about 230 counting officials for the NCD regional seat, divided into day and night shifts.
Meanwhile, media personnel were turned away at the gate to Rita Flynn because Ralai refused to talk to them.
Ralai used security personnel to relay his message to reporters.