Daulo district

Philip Timbe of Hatavile Coffee, a lead partner of Coffee Industry Corporation’s Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (CIC-PPAP), issued this challenge to his 400 farmers under the partnership who gathered to collect their basic coffee gardening tools at Wantrifu Village on 9 September.

“Operation rausim haus kunai has commenced as of today. By 2020 everyone must own a permanent house.

“If not, I will walk into the haus lain with a box of matches to burn down all haus kunai.”

Returning officer John Walker confirmed the commencement a while ago.

He told Loop PNG that despite several hiccups from the candidates and supporters, they will complete polling today.

Walker added that he had been informed of rumours of ballot papers being hijacked but is yet to confirm that.

The one-day polling was deferred from yesterday to today after candidates and supporters raised concerns on the issue of Electoral Roll updates and polling venues.

More update on TVWAN news tonight.

One of the districts currently in this situation is Daulo.

With a voting population of about 48,000, candidates say the updated Electoral Roll does not match the voting population.

Spokesperson Benny Kimisive states: “We cannot cast our vote now as it will be illegal because most of the election materials are not ready.

“Even the polling venues have not been allocated yet,” he said.

The other issue the candidates raised was the gazetted polling areas, where most of the venues have been changed.

The candidates raised concern on the issue of Common Roll update, polling venues and number of ballot papers.

Representing the candidates, Benny Kimisive said time is against them to cast their votes and it will be illegal if they go ahead and conduct polling.

"We want polling to be deferred to Wednesday as to go through the quality checks of the common roll and other issues."