Reason behind raising nomination fees shallow

THE 2017 National Budget handed down last Tuesday by Treasurer Patrick Pruiatch gave prominence to the 2017 general elections and APEC 2018.
I understand the K400 million allocated for the elections was the biggest for far for this five-yearly democratic process.
Chief Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato affirmed this by saying that the money is sufficient to run the 2017 general elections given the current and unforeseen challenges as planned.
Sufficient as defined by my Paperback Oxford Dictionary means “enough” in one word, which means the Electoral Commission is well set to go with the right funding for the coming elections.
On the same day, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the Government proposed to increase the nomination fee from K1000 to K10,000 to “assist in additional costs such as printing of ballot papers”.
Despite the sufficient budget allocation, it is sad to note that the 2017 election has not been planned and budgeted for as perceived by the Prime Minister’s comment.
Hence, he is asking the citizens and political parties to assist in funding the elections through the increased nomination fee.
It may go down well but it raises some eyebrows as the justification is shallow and debatable.
At the outset, our democratic system of government allows our citizens the right and freedom to pursue their aspirations, and in this context, the opportunity to contest a free and fair election.
With so many political parties and the ever-increasing number
of candidates, the scenario looks scary.
The increase in nomination fee is no different to the Provincial Service Improvement Programme (PSIP) and District Service Improvement Programme (DSIP) grants that many of our MPs, especially those in the Opposition have missed out.
Despite it being mandatory, many MPs received only a part of their DSIP grants because they sat on the “wrong side of the house”.
The same has now camouflaged itself in the context of an inflated nomination fee whereby smaller political parties and independent candidates will be disadvantaged financially to have an equal footing in the June elections.
A reduced campaign period from eight weeks to four weeks will also add misery to many aspiring candidates.
The increase in the nomination fee and the reduced campaigned period is an infringement disguised to control our citizens’ right to compete in an equal and fair playing field.
It’s an election that will see the “haves vs have nots”.
I wonder whose interest this political ploy is serving.
May our citizens go to the coming polls with a humble heart so that righteousness can prevail at the end.

L Kamake
Markham, Morobe