2017 National Elections

This was reiterated by the Electoral Commissioner and NCD metropolitan superintendent at the officials and security forces meet at the Rita Flynn complex this morning in Port Moresby.

Turi said for most polling venues, unlike in the past election polling period, most officials will now have to be at the camping site a day prior to the polling. This is to avoid inconveniences for the ballot papers to be brought straight to the polling venues.

This is because in the 2012 elections, people in Pomio, especially in the Mamusi Rural LLG, refused to cast votes and threatened polling officials, says provincial police commander, Joseph Tabali.

And the reason for that?

“They said there were no government services in the area,” Tabali told Loop PNG.

“That’s why I am allocating four security personnel to one polling team for Mamusi. Other areas will only have two or three security escorts.”

“Based on past experiences, there were no problems at all,” ENB provincial police commander, Joseph Tabali, told Loop PNG.

However, he is anticipating a few issues from Kokopo, especially during the counting period.

“Rabaul and Gazelle were okay during their candidates’ forum (during the campaign period). But for Kokopo, other candidates and supporters started intimidating their rivals. This happened while candidates were on stage, presenting their party platforms.”

Simbu Election Manager Tom Sine told Loop PNG that people have raised concern with the issue of common roll and names not on the list to vote.

Sine said most areas in the province have no names on the common roll.

“We are set to go except that the issue of Common Roll has been raised and we’re still waiting for directions from Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato.”

He added that as soon as Gamato gives his directives, they will update the people of Simbu.

More to come… 

The objective was to meet beforehand to make the officials, security personnel and the general public aware of do's and don’ts during polling in the capital.

Keynote speaker, Patilias Gamato, said he was impressed with the breakdown of the sets of duties for each of the parties involved.

He added that in his recent visit with the Inter-Departmental Election Committee meet, he didn't expect a wide range of challenges to be put forward with actual suggestions and solutions.

"The same can be said about the NCD team and I am impressed and satisfied," he said.

Koupa said so far the polling teams have been dispersed and have been briefed on their deadlines.

He told Loop PNG that he is looking forward to completing the counting on July 3 before returning the writs.

Despite financial constraints, he had assured the people of Eastern Highlands that everything will go as planned.

Meanwhile, more than 460,000 people of EHP will be going to the polls tomorrow, June 26, 2017.

Sensitive and non-sensitive election materials have been dispersed to various polling venues along with the polling teams.

This is an open event and more than 200 members of the general public have filled up most of the seats at the indoor complex.

Police, Correctional Services and the PNGDF personnel, as well as election polling officials, will be present at the event.

Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, is expected to give the keynote address as well NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi.

More updates to follow on Loop PNG.

However, he is confident to deliver the election in the province on time despite this financial situation.

He said this election is dedicated to the people and they cannot sit and worry about the funding but to go ahead with the polling schedules.

Koupa told Loop PNG that the funds budgeted to them was less compared to the previous elections.

He claims they were only given K900,000 for the election operations.

Provincial Election Manager Steven Gore Koupa told Loop PNG this morning that most of the sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been moved out of Goroka to various polling venues as of last night.

He said Obura-Wonenara and Kainantu districts have gotten their materials and are currently sorting them at the police stations.

Okapa and Lufa will be getting their materials today while Henganofi received theirs yesterday.

Koupa said most of the teams, who are using the roads, have been dispersed to all the polling venues.

This was the clarification from the Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, this morning.

Dispelling rumours on social media, Gamato said the extra papers are safe and secure.

Gamato assures the people of PNG that the ballot papers and boxes have not been tampered with, giving assurance that special joint forces in each of the provinces have been posted to guard the sensitive items up until polling day.

Meanwhile, he adds that the common rolls have all been updated, while most of the sensitive polling materials have been sent to all provinces already.