Madang District Returning Officer Joe Sakipa has confirmed that counting for Madang Open has not yet started because they are still setting up the counting venue at Marape Hall of Tusbab Secondary School.
Sakipa added that they are yet to train the counting officials because the logistical support for this is slow in coming through.
Meantime, Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang has been receiving situation reports from police personnel attached with polling teams. He said most of the districts in Madang have completed polling. Polling in Nayudo LLG in Rai Coast and Gama LLG in Usino Bundi were the only delays as polling teams in these areas needed to be airlifted.
PPC Rubiang said a helicopter is extracting polling officials from Middle Ramu and Rai Coast. The same will be done for polling teams in Gama LLG.
Nayudo LLG in Nankina Valley has not yet started voting, with polling team hoping to get voting completed by Friday July 22 despite threats from the Hetwara gang to disturb the polling process. PPC Rubiang said police deployed to Nayudo have been receiving these threats from the notorious gang that has been causing havoc in the region for months.