Lack of funding hampers electoral boundaries work

Lack of funding for the electoral boundaries in the country will affect plans to split the electorate of Talasea district, in West New Britain Province.

Minister for Provincial Affairs and Local Government Pila Niningi said just under 30 per cent of the funding allocated for electoral boundaries has been released.  

The planned split of the Talasea district in 2022 may not happen.

Ninigi said the Government had budgeted K14m for the electoral boundaries but so far only K4m had been released.

Minister Ninigi made this clarification after news of the new electorate being gazette, went viral on social media Facebook.

He explained that the National Boundaries Commission has not commenced work into the electoral boundaries.

Meantime, former Moresby Northwest MP, Michael Malabag clarified that the 2020 National Census has been delayed and no time for Boundaries Commission to tour the Country.

Therefore, it is likely that West Britain will still have the same electorates come 2022.

A boundary review team was formed to oversee the realignment of the boundaries in 2018, after former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill announced at the closure of the PNG Games in Kimbe, that Talasea district will be split, as the population of Talasea district is more than 200 thousand.

Author: 
Freddy Mou