Party reps discuss preparation for 2017 general elections

 By MALUM NALU
OFFICIALS of 30 of the political parties who gathered in Wewak last week discussed their preparations for the 2017 general elections with the Registry of Political Parties and Candidates.
Registrar Dr Alphonse Gelu said they picked Wewak as the venue to get East Sepik Governor Sir Michael Somare to address the parties.
But he was away attending the regional governors’ conference in Lae.
Gelu said on the first day, small parties discussed what they had learned since the workshop started in 2013, what they were doing to improve their parties, and what they were doing to prepare for 2017.
He said the second day focused on party policies, where it was stressed that they could not continue to use the same policies election after election.
Gelu said party constitutions were also discussed.
He said they also focused on party conventions, as many of the parties had not held theirs despite it being a necessity.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato, a member of the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission, also made a presentation on its reform agenda and preparations for 2017.