The PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) should conduct an urgent review and lessons learned process immediately following this election.
This is the recommendation from the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) after the 2017 National elections.
It stated that the review should include a specific component on the transparency of the PNGEC's operations, which needs to be improved in order to enhance the credibility of the PNGEC and the electoral process.
The COG states that it is critical that the PNGEC be provided with timely and adequate funding, and that government should consider introducing arrangements for direct appropriation of funds to the PNGEC to ensure its independence.
The COG in a statement recommended that the PNGEC ensure adequate and timely release of funds to provincial election authorities and service providers, to minimise avoidable disruption to the election timetable.
“The continuing empowerment of provincial authorities with new responsibilities could also help reduce costs and ensure more timely and effective election operations in the field,” the statement read.
The COG, which is a group of statesmen from various countries in the Commonwealth of Nations who are currently observing the 2022 elections in PNG, recommended that the PNGEC provide training to provincial officials and ensure accountability of all expenditure within a specified time period.
The Observers will arrive in the country on June 28 and stay until the completion of the electoral process.
“The Inter-Departmental Election Committee (IDEC) should be chaired by the Electoral Commissioner (or co-chaired with the Chief Secretary) so as to ensure the Electoral Commissioner is able to coordinate effectively across different government agencies, and to counter perceptions that the PNGEC is under the control of the Government and is not fully independent.
“The Election Advisory Committee should be appointed and convened earlier in advance of an election, and given sufficient resources and access to information to enable it to fulfil its functions,” stated the COG.