Rossie Pandihau

Jiwaka fears deferral of polls

Election Manager, Rossie Pandihau, says the commencement of polling in the Province will depend on when polling in Simbu Province has been completed.

Polling in Jiwaka Province is scheduled for June 30.

Ms Pandihau said preparations for polling are now well on track however, the delay in polling for Simbu Province might affect them as well. This is because security forces in Simbu will move to Jiwaka once polling is completed in the former.

Pandihau says they are currently doing quality checks and pre-counting the ballot papers.

​Where is the Jiwaka provincial treasurer?

According to the Election Manager, the training for polling officials and the presiding officers was scheduled to be conducted a week ago.

Jiwaka Election Manager Rossie Pandihau is pleading for the Provincial Treasurer to return to Jiwaka as soon as possible to release the funds allocated for the training. 

She says the training is vital for the 900-plus polling officials, including the 300-plus presiding officers and assistant presiding officers, so they understand the process well before being deployed to polling sites.

​Polling booth locations causing dissent

Election manager, Rossie Pandihau, said the issue arose from a certain electorate about centralising polling booths.

“This caused some candidates and supporters to disagree, resulting in an uproar.”

Pandihau said one of the returning officers was assaulted and more problems are expected to arise come the polling period in the province if the issue is not attended to quickly.

She adds that the electoral commission team has been corresponding with the team in Port Moresby to look at alternative ways to resolve the problem.