Opposition should back law: Gamato

ELECTORAL Commissioner Patilias Gamato, pictured, says the Opposition should mobilise itselves to support or reject proposed election laws in Parliament, rather than blaming him for these.
He said this yesterday after a wave of criticism of him by Opposition leader Don Polye,  his deputy Sam Basil, and Northern Governor Gary Juffa about possible deferral of the date of  the issue of writs, from April 20 to May 20. It depends on whether Parliament decides to change the law to reduce the campaign period from two months to one month.
“I want to say that these leaders have misunderstood my statement,” Gamato said. “What I said was that in case the Parliament changes the law to reduce the campaign period from two months down to one month, people must be prepared.
“I was forewarning the intending candidates and MPs. I am not a law-maker. I implement the law passed by Parliament.
“Parliament is the only ultimate authority to change any law in the country.
“They are law-makers and so they should be ready to debate the law and make changes,  or reject the changes the Government is proposing in the Parliament, and not to take it against the Electoral Commissioner.”