When will we get it right?

OVER Papua New Guinea’s 47 years as an independent state, 10 elections have been conducted and each one was completed with its own set of setbacks.
One would think, as the year’s progressed, lessons would have been learnt and that process corrected so it’s not repeated.
No one said polling was going to be smooth sailing in Papua New Guinea, but some of the issues experienced in the past elections should be minimal or manageable.
There should be no excuse for what is happening through the country.
The PNGEC catch-phrase on the website is: “My country, my right to vote for a healthy nation.”
We note that some officers from the 2017 National General Election, and many gone by, are still in the commission.
The check list has failed.
Through nomination and campaign, the news was not all that bad.
Many predicted it was the calm before the storm.
Problems from past elections are being repeated, the odds are against us.
The stakes this time are extremely high.
What it tells the nation is that little, if anything at all, has been done to correct and wrongs or at least implement the many recommendations from the independent observers and past electoral commissioners.
Since the two-week polling schedule started, there has been a flood of complaints around electoral rolls and allegations of extra ballot papers being handled by candidates before polling.
We still have complaints on delays in voting, irregularities in the processes, under age people turning up and permitted to vote, contrary to the law.
Less ballot papers were distributed to various wards resulting in eligible voters missing out.
In fact, the common roll used in this election turned out to be a lot more problematic than the one used in 2017.
Already, Police Commissioner David Manning has warned that he will recommend to the PNG Electoral Commission to declare failed elections for Enga if the violence, death and destruction continues.
This follows an upsurge in lawlessness over the weekend in parts of Enga. Reports of violence and mayhem emerged from Paiam town, Porgera and Kompiam in Enga, plus Kabwum and Mutzing in Morobe.
The situation in Enga is no ordinary law and order situation.
While many of the violent incidents are attributed to the elections there are sectors of the local communities in Enga that continue to engage in violent criminal activities pre-dating the elections and will continue throughout the election period and beyond.
Counting for the Markham Open seat in Morobe was disrupted on Saturday after a group of people broke open ballot boxes and burnt the ballot papers inside.
In Kabwum, two vehicles, the district office complex and election ballot papers were destroyed.
A police and the district administrator’s vehicles were also damaged.
In Kompiam, the home of Finance Minister Sir John Pundari was burnt in his village.
The Yumbiliam High School and the new level four hospital were razed by rival supporters of candidates in Enga.
PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says his is yet to receive any reports from the respective election managers.
After the reports in the media this week, nobody will be left in any doubt as to the level of preparedness of the PNG Electoral Commission for the conduct of the 2022 elections.
The preparation has been flimsy and lackluster.
Yet, with all that has gone on so far in polling, it is difficult to see how this election can gain integrity from here on in.