The nationwide consultation on the review of the election law for the remaining nine provinces started last week with West Sepik.
Constitutional and Law Reform Commission chairman, Robert Atiyafa, led the consultation team in the province on November 8th and was welcomed by Deputy Governor John Nos, Vanimo Town Mayor Jerry Kina and Deputy Provincial Administrator Desak Drot, among others.
“This is an opportunity for the leaders, general public, ordinary villagers and interested stakeholders to participate within Vanimo and West Sepik to involve themselves honestly and freely in the law making process of the country so that any proposed changes to the election law and related processes and systems can also be representative and reflective of the people’s wishes and desires,” he said.
The two provinces were initially planned to be covered last month but were put on hold because the government agency responsible for the exercise, the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission, was engaged in the hosting of the recent Australasian Law Reform Agencies Conference.
The consultations for Milne Bay and Northern provinces will commence from the 19th to 23rd of November, followed by Southern Highlands, Hela and Enga from the 19th of November to the 1st of December while Western Province and NCD will be covered on the 26th to the 30th of November.
“We anticipate covering all these provinces within this month and concentrate on the preparation of a final report to be presented to the government by March next year and thus, I’m confident of meeting the government’s target of completing the review within 18 months,” he said.
He also thanked the government for continually supporting CLRC with the necessary funds to carry out the consultation.
(Chairman of the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission, Robert Atiyafa, being received by the members of the West Sepik provincial government and administration)