The New Ireland Provincial Administration has raised concerns that certain agents of political parties have used bribery in an attempt to gain access to the Common Roll.
The New Ireland Provincial Administrator and Chairman of the Provincial Election Steering Committee, Lamiller Pawut, called on the Electoral Commission exercising its Constitutional rights by charging individuals and political parties attempting to defraud the State and citizens of PNG on updates concerning the Common Roll allegedly to help the Commission.
He said there were reports that agents from certain political parties in New Ireland Province went to the PNGEC office in Port Moresby, with complete rolls of voters in the council and wards to gain entry into the master database of the Common Roll.
“This is criminal and outright act of lawlessness against the State and people of New Ireland. The EC cannot allow greedy and power-hungry people to erode the democratic process in the coming 2022 National General Elections,” Mr Pawut said.
He stated that the 2017 national elections in New Ireland, for the first time, was overshadowed with alleged corrupt practices and political interference in the updating of the Common Roll and conduct of polling right through to the counting of votes.
Mr Pawut urged the PNGEC to monitor the performance of middle managers and junior officers at head office, this includes the provinces that deal directly with the Common Roll updates of the master database.
Meanwhile, New Ireland has pioneered the Village Record Book that will officially become the tool to update the population and eligible voters into the Common Roll, once the Commission and provincial government signs a MoU.
New Irelanders were urged not to be influenced by corrupt agents when choosing their leaders during the elections.