PM: Dispute unrelated to conduct of elections

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says the election dispute in Southern Highlands that led to the recent violence in Mendi was not related to the conduct of the 2017 general election but the counting.
He told Parliament yesterday that the dispute related to the Regional seat only.
O’Neill was responding to Sinasina-Yonggomugl MP Kerenga Kua’s assertion that the recent troubles in Mendi were because of the election.
He said a “few individuals” took matters into their own hands when the court made a decision on the regional seat.
“These individuals did not respect the court, their leaders and their very own people that are suffering as a consequence of their act,” O’Neill said.
“I certainly do not condone that in our own province.”
O’Neill said it was not the first time the country had faced election-related violence. He said when an investigation into the election was released, “we will take appropriate actions and I have made that commitment to the people of Southern Highlands”.
“We cannot again condone the acts of the officials to bring about this kind of disturbance and disruptions in our communities,” O’Neill said.
He said it was important that the matter was put to rest.