Voting starts in B’ville

BOUGAINVILLEANS have started casting their votes to elect a new president, three women representatives and constituency parliamentarians.
In Port Moresby yesterday, assistant returning officer Terence Hetinu said he was expecting 2,300 voters to cast their ballots before polling ended on Tuesday, Aug 18.
Hetinu said Bougainvilleans living outside the Autonomous Region of Bougainville were allowed to cast their votes at polling stations in Port Moresby, Madang, East New Britain, West New Britain, Morobe and Eastern Highlands.
“There will be no polling on the weekend. It will resume on Monday,” he said.
He said despite the Covid-19 restrictions, the turnout at the Port Moresby Education Institute polling station was good although no awareness had been conducted.
“Bougainvilleans did their own awareness through their associations. So they were well prepared,” he said.
Hetinu said voters were required to wear masks, keep social distance and use sanitisers.
“We make sure that they abide by the hygiene rules because if one (Covid-19) case is found here, the polling will stop,” he said.
He said the only hiccup was that they had to turn back 30 voters because their names were not on the roll.
“We are using the roll used in last year’s referendum,” he said.
“So we advised them to come back next Tuesday and find out if they can vote after getting clearance from the Bougainville Electoral Commission in Buka. We (have sent) their names to Buka.”