Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, says adjustments will have to be made for Returning Officers (RO’s) and Assistant Returning Officers (ARO’s) for the upcoming elections as some will be contesting.
During a National Alliance Party event in which Gamato was invited to give an update on the commissions preparations, he revealed that they were currently addressing the issue as some of the RO’s and ARO’s decided to contest the elections while a few have passed on.
“RO and ARO appointment was gazetted in February 2017, (but) I’ve made some adjustments simply because there some returning officers and assistant returning officers who have decided to stand. One or two have dies and gone so I have to change that. We are taking it case by case, so I just finalised the returning officers,” he said.
Gamato said the names of the RO’s and ARO’s will be printed on the Writs which will then be signed by the Governor General.
He added they also had to conduct training for the RO’s, ARO’s and election managers before the issue of Writs.