2017 National Election

Hela is faced with law and order issues due to the influx of guns, drugs and alcohol abuse.

Hela Gimbu Association (HGA) deputy chairman Habia Babe said that law and order is out of control with illegal importation of alcohol and drugs due to the beer ban.

Babe said people have access to guns in order to protect themselves as there is no law enforcement in place. 

“We call on the government to take drastic action to address the law and order issue for the safety and security of the LNG project and the 2017 National elections.

This follows the deployment of 810 enrolment agents earlier this week for the biggest roll update to be done in the Nation’s Capital.

NCD Election Manager, Terrence Hetinu, says his team is faced with many obstacle and challenges to get this exercise going.

“Security is one of the main priorities for the enrolment agents whilst visiting the wards.”

He says in other provinces, the cost is very low for such exercises to be rolled out but in NCD alone, it is quite costly. This is because each of the 12 wards comprises of 80 to 90 thousand residents.

TSC Commissioner Policy, Samson Wangihomie, said the teacher’s applications to resign have been approved.

However, the resignations have been approved on the back of an agreement struck between the TSC and the resigning teachers.

“We approved their resignation for the purposes of elections with conditions like if they lose the elections, they’ve got to return within two months after the writs are returned,” said Wangihomie

“Now if they don’t return after two months we will terminate them.”

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said the National Government with the support of Inter-Department Election Committee (IDEC) has established a 2017 election trust account which will facilitate funds coming into PNGEC.

He said in the past, PNGEC used the integrated financial management system (IFMS) to manage funds but what normally happens is that after all government accounts are closed, unused funds are returned to the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF).

“With the trust account, PNGEC funds will be held back and used during the shut-down period,” Gamato said.

The national logistics plan is going to be the master plan for the procurement and distribution of election materials across the country during the elections.

“It encompasses the polling schedules, transportation cost, election materials and costs including the procurement of big named items and their distribution to the provinces, districts, LLGs and even down to polling stations at ward level,” Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said.

PNGDF Chief of Force preparation, Colonel Siale Diro told PNG Loop that all citizens and visitors or observers can be rest assured that the special defense forces as well as their support agencies are gearing up for all these international meets.

The citizens of this country should be assured that should there be an international security incident there is a Long range reconnaissance unit on standby to support police and government during the upcoming FIFA  games and APEC Summit in 2018.

This is so that many of the Ward and Council Presidents can serve their full five year terms.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said this in Parliament today when questioned by Central Governor, Kila Haoda, over several election matters.

One of the issues was the Ward and LLG Elections and whether it would be held concurrently with the National Elections and or separately.

“Mr Speaker it is important that we separate the two elections so that people can have a focus on the National Elections in 2017.”

Prime Minister and leader of PNC, Peter O’Neill, did not mince his words when he gave his assurance to more than 1,000 invited guests as well as family and friends, and the media, at the Stanley Hotel recently during a PNC fundraising gala night.

O’Neill on that night threw down the gauntlet to his political adversaries to see who will make it back after the 2017 National Elections.

“The PNC Party celebrates its 20^th year and this is the second time to lead government,” O’Neill told the gathering.

Juffa told Loop PNG that every intending candidate must have a basic qualification process to ensure they know how to read and write and debate and analyse and be well versed in issues of geopolitics, trade, finances, environment and regional economics, trade and politics.

He said PNG had not gone very far in 40 years because it simply did not have leaders who could navigate PNGs development agenda in the right direction.

He said poorly educated and weak selfish MPs with no morals and low intelligence had squandered PNGs opportunities.

He said the increased nomination fees will no way improve the quality of leaders in Parliament.

Juffa told Loop PNG that instead a vetting process should be put in place to screen applicants and ensure that credible leaders with a high sense of patriotic fervor and morals and ethics be encouraged to run.

He said anyone who had a criminal past with a conviction should immediately be disqualified as should those involved in scams and inquiries who had not had their names cleared by the justice system.