Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu

Political parties urged to work with communities nationwide

Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu said parties must not exist only in Port Moresby and not only in certain provinces in the country.

Dr Gelu said the Organic Law requires all the parties to be nationally based, that is they must be represented in all parts of the country.

This also requires them to put up candidates in all the different parts of the country.

“The Registry would be monitoring this aspect of geographical representation by parties closely.

44 Political Parties confirmed for 2017 National Elections

Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu said that the Registry will continue the processes of registering political parties but it will not allow them to contest in this election.

He explained that it takes about two months to register a political party before the issue of writs and therefore a political party must be registered two months before the issue of writs.

“It takes a process of two months therefore if anyone wants to register a political party now to take part in this elections, it will not be possible.

Gelu hopes revised law is passed

Despite being approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) in 2014 after a review of the OLIPPAC beginning in 2012, the revised law is yet to pass the floor of Parliament.

In October, last year, the revised law appeared on the business paper however a lack of numbers on the floor of Parliement failed to see the law passed.

Nomination fee increase too late

The Registrar of Political Parties, Dr Alphonse Gelu, tells Loop PNG that smaller parties have informed him that the proposed increase, from K1000 to K10,000, will significantly impact them and the number of candidates they intend to field during the elections.

He said the decision to increase the fee should have been done some years back and not on the eve of the elections.

Faceless political parties still getting paid

Registrar of Political Parties, Dr Alphonse Gelu, says to this day he still does not know some of the political party executives by face.

He says a one day forum will be held in Port Moresby for political parties who have representatives in parliament, and that is to know all the party executives.

“The reason why we are having this one day forum is for me to meet all the presidents, treasurers, and secretaries of political parties.

“You know we pay these guys every fortnight  and I don’t even know their faces,” he said.