Political party

Parties must have K100,000 to register: Gelu

This is one of the requirements under the revised Organic Law on Political Party and Candidates.

“Under the revised Organic Law, one of the things we are saying is that a party must showcase to us that they have K100,0000 in their bank accounts,” said Registrar Dr Alphonse Gelu.

“Some people have accused us that we are trying to promote only people with money, but that’s the reality.”

Dr Gelu revealed that many parties do not have the financial capacity to operate a political party professionally.

Mataungan Association advised not to register

Registrar of the Political Parties and Candidates Commission, Dr Alphonse Gelu, informed Loop PNG  that he has advised against the registering of the association as a political party as it doe not conform to a unity principle that the commission wants parties to promote.

“Any political party that comes in to register one of the important things we ask them to do is to promote, is that they are here to promote unity. They are not here to promote disintegration in our country. That is not what we want to do.”

Election times remain unless law changes, say Gamato

Speaking to political party executives in a recent workshop, Gamato said he was requested by the Government to separate both elections.

However, he could not under the current provisions of the Organic Law on National Elections and the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government.

“I’ve written to Prime Minister advising him that unless there is change in law, we have to run them concurrently,” said Gamato.

National and LLG elections run over the same period however, polling dates vary.