Trawen: Workers have right to vote

ELECTORAL Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, yesterday said reports that companies had penalised workers for taking time off to vote was wrong under the law.
He reaffirmed the rights of employees in PNG to vote for their leaders in the general elections without being penalised through wage deductions.
“I emphasised this constitutional right well before the general election and I am now reiterating the same message,” Trawen said.
“This is because I have had reports and enquiries about certain organisations penalising staff for taking a day off to cast their ballot.
“It is totally wrong and staff concerned should seek legal redress without
delay.”
Trawen said workers’ voting rights had always been a fundamental right in all democracies and Papua New Guinea should honour this important constitutional right and principle.