Electoral Commissioner

Flights in and out of the airport were cancelled with frustrated passengers from the other Highlands Provinces left stranded.

Air Niugini Public Relations confirmed the suspension of its afternoon flight, and said an official statement will be released once approved by the CEO.

A passenger who travelled from neighbouring Southern Highlands Province, Brian Waffi said it was frustrating because he did not plan to spend a night in Mt Hagen.

He said all the candidates and their supporters are sitting on the tarmac and protesting.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato told Loop PNG that the candidate posters for Momase, New Guinea Islands and Southern Regions are in print and Highlands Region will be printed soon after corrections are made. He said the delay is because of candidates’ photos.

The PNGEC candidate posters will be placed at the voting area for voters to identity their candidates and mark their preferences.   

Gamato said ballot papers are enough for the 111 Open and Provincial Seats, and the work of voter enrolment is complete.

“The functions of the Election Advisory Committee (EAC) are to provide recommendations and advice on matters relating to cancelation and withdrawal of writ for an election, if circumstances prevailing in an electorate are such that a proper conduct of an election is not practicable,” Gamato said.

The three-member EAC, to be appointed by the Governor-General, will comprise of the Chief Ombudsman Commissioner (or his nominee) and two other persons – a nominee by the board of Transparency International (PNG) Incorporated and a retired judge or lawyer.

In this year’s national budget, the National Government allocated K400 million to fund the country’s election.

In a statement, Lupari said two separate trust accounts have been created – one for PNG Electoral Commission to draw its K279 million and the other for security agencies to draw down their K121 million for election security operations.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato and Police Commissioner Gari Baki will look after their individual trust accounts.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said, “ballot papers will be unpacked and repacked in the coming weeks according to enrolment figures for each electorate, LLG and wards.

“They will be dispatched two weeks prior to commencement of polling on 24th June.”

All ballot papers since arriving from Indonesia have been kept at an undisclosed location.

The 2017 National Election campaign period will end on June 23, followed by 14 days of polling.  

Gamato said, PNG Electoral Commission projected a voter turnout of 4.7 million eligible voters.

“In 2012, a total of 4.7 million registered on the (Electoral) Roll,” Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said.   

“For 2017, PNGEC is projecting some 5.1 million or 5.2 million eligible voters based on the 3.1 per cent annual average growth rate of PNG population as posted by National Statistical Office.

“Out of the 4.7 million registered voters in 2012, only 3.7 million actually cast their votes.

“Therefore, in 2017, PNGEC is projecting that out of the 5.1 million or 5.2 million eligible voters, only 4.7 million may actually cast their votes.”

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia this afternoon stayed the decision of the Leadership Tribunal on May 1, 2015 that recommended his dismissal from office, following the tribunal’s finding of guilt on him on March 20, 2015.

He ordered that the state and Electoral Commission including its officers or agents, permit Ronny Knight to nominate to contest the elections.

In light of this decision, Loop PNG was informed by Knight that he will be nominating tomorrow.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato also confirmed with this newsroom that Knight can nominate to contest.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato confirmed during the issue of Writs that the Commission has so far spent over K50 million.

Gamato said some of the funds have been committed and will be used up.

In terms of awareness, much of the cost is going towards publishing posters to be distributed across the country.

“The awareness posters have been distributed to all the election managers in the provinces to be put up in the electorates for the public to see.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato made this comment after PNGEC would not disclose the location of the 11 containers of ballot papers.

“They will be under tight guard by Police and Army in a secured place,” Gamato told Loop PNG last week.  

The Electoral Commissioner said in the next one-and-a-half months, the ballot papers will be unpacked from the containers, repacked according to enrolment numbers for each provinces, and dispatched two weeks prior to the commencement of polling on June 24.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said the fee remains the same after parliament failed to do the second and third readings to amend the Organic Law on National and LLG Elections. 

“The proposed amendments are still the property of parliament and will await the new parliament to deliberate on.”

The coalition Government was adamant to increase the nomination fee to K10,000, claiming it will support the PNG Electoral Commission run the elections and also stop ‘traim lak’ candidates from contesting.