2017 National Elections

That is the confirmation from Provincial Election Manager Kila Ralai.

However, he said the provincial capital, Wewak, will also be the host venue for the counting of ballot papers for the East Sepik Provincial seat.

Ralai is optimistic polling in the province will be completed within the gazetted 14 days, which ends on Saturday, 8 July. 

He commended the voting population for cooperating with polling officials in the first week of polling.

NCD metropolitan superintendent, Commander Ben Turi, believes these individuals’ ploy was to buy time to gather support.

He based his conviction on intel received from NCD police officers deployed to the highlands region.

“NCD officers have been calling me from Mt Hagen and Southern Highlands that a lot of people are getting on planes to come double vote in Port Moresby.

“NCD polling has never failed before. It was orchestrated so that their supporters could return and vote again.”

Among those are NCD Regional candidates Andy Bawa, Jamie Maxtone Graham and Moresby North-East candidate John Kaupa.

They are intending to give a second petition to Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato. The reason behind this activity is yet to be determined.

Commissioner Gamato is now meeting with them.

More updates to follow.

Wewak Urban LLG, which was supposed to hold its final day of the two-day polling, got cancelled. The same went for Wewak Rural, Wewak Island, Turubu and Boikin-Dagua.

Wewak Returning Officer, Thaddeus Ulapapik, confirmed to this newsroom that weather was to blame for suspension of polling today.

He said polling will resume depending on the weather.

Ulapapik is confident polling will be completed within the gazetted 14 days.

Meanwhile, the RO appealed to candidates to educate their scrutineers so they do not delay the flow of polling. 

He said if such allegations are made then the commission must be notified to verify them.

Gamato said this in response to rumours, which surfaced at the beginning of polling, that extra ballot papers were in circulation.

“As far as I’m concerned, all ballot papers are intact, we only release them for each electorate and they go under police scrutiny and custody until they are released to be used in the polling places,” he said.

Gamato said this when grilled during yesterday’s media conference in Port Moresby.

Since polling began on Saturday in the country, many negative reports have been made public. Among them was the late start of polling teams, resulting in less number of votes cast and people and students turned away due to missing names, despite registering earlier this year.

The deferral of polling in NCD from Tuesday to Friday, the detainment of the NCD Election Manager and several polling officials over suspected foul play has put more pressure on the Commissioner.

Normally PTE Morea assists in maintaining communications equipment for a Signals Regiment. However her language skills were put to good use for Operation Hannah, the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) contribution to the 2017 Papua New Guinea national elections.

PTE Morea was sent back to her homeland to work as a translator, helping to overcome language barriers.

"I was so happy I was able to go back, I've always wanted to do this job,” she said.

The ballot papers did not match the voting population of 26,000 in the district.

The issue is a result of discrepancies in the Electoral Roll update.

The extra ballot papers were burnt in the presence of security personnel and election officials.

Provincial election steering committee chairman, Joe Tonda Nao, says his team had spent the whole day on Monday going through ballot boxes and discovered the extra ballot papers.

The incident happened at the Wosera-Gawi Electorate on Monday afternoon during polling.

Provincial Election Manager Kila Ralai said he is yet to get confirmation from returning officer and assistant returning officer on the incident.

However, he said intoxicated youths disrupted polling because their names were not on the roll.

Frustrated voters then clashed with the youths, making the terrified polling officials run away, leaving two ballot boxes behind.

Ralai said quick response from Police resulted in the confiscation of all polling materials.

Polling was deferred yesterday after electoral officials raised concerns over non-payment of their allowances.

Gamato highlighted that polling is an important process and a democratic right so employers must allow their workers to vote on Friday.

“In the past elections, people have gone out to vote and there have been some arrangements between themselves and their employers.

“With the deferral of polling, I think people can make adjustments again as it is only one day polling.