Electoral Boundaries Commission

Lae MP, John Rosso, said they have recommended to the Electoral Boundaries Commission to bring Igam and Bumayong under his electorate.

Igam falls under the Huon Gulf district while Bumayong is in the Nawaeb electorate.

“We’ve recommended that the boundary should go up to the Busu River, and on the other side, it should go all the way up to Yalu – to bring them all under the Lae electorate,” he stated.

“It will make it easier for administration, easier for development because parts of all these areas are physically within Lae.”

The multi-stakeholder committee returned to Lae following their public consultation on recommendations for boundary demarcations in July.

The EBC proposed to split Lae Open into two electorates; East and West Lae, and divide Bulolo Open into East and West Bulolo.

Leaders and members of the two affected electorates turned up to participate in the discussions. Among them were Huon Gulf MP, Ross Seymour, prominent Morobean and community leader, Benson Nablu, and former governor, Luther Wenge.

It is five times bigger than Goilala and Rabaul Open electorates, yet all eighty-nine (89) constituencies in the country receive equal disbursement of fund from the national budget every fiscal year.

Many electorates have developed faster than others since they have surplus funds to expand in all sectors, while other districts/electorates face financial constraints due to such malapportionment of population in the country.

The proposed new electorates are based on the submissions obtained during the Public Consultations to the provinces carried out by EBC from the 4^th-23^rd of July 2021.

Acting Commissioner for the Electoral Commission and Chairman of the Electoral Boundaries Commission, Simon Sinai said informing Papua New Guineans of the ‘Public Objections and Views of Proposed New Open Electorates’ is the second phase of the review for the 2021 review of electoral boundaries.

Prime Minister James Marape has clarified that some electorates have more population than other districts in the country, which is unfair in terms of service delivery.

He also gave an example as the Talasea District, which have more than 250,000 people compare to some electorates like Rabaul with only 30,000 people.

The Prime Minister Marape gave an undertaking that upon the review from the Electoral Boundaries Commission, Parliament will then decide and allow the due process to follow.

The weeklong review workshop will table all data the teams gathered commenced on Monday 2^nd August and will conclude on Friday 6^th.

Chairman for the Electoral Boundaries Commission and Acting Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai congratulated the Boundaries team for completing phase one of the project.

Mr Sinai said the workshop will look thoroughly on each report, feedback and findings and provide recommendations to parliament on redistribution and creation of new open electorates and readjustment of the electoral boundaries.

Deputy Electoral Commissioner, John Kalamoro, says by law the review must be done every 10 years.

The next review is two tears overdue.

Kalamoro said the organic law allows for more than 89 open electorates but not more than 120.

He said the review of boundaries needs to be conducted immediately and 20-19 appears to be the best time because it is not too close to conduct the 2022 elections.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said this in parliament today.

He said the Electoral Boundaries Commission will look at dividing electorates that have big land masses, making it difficult for some District Development Authorities (DDAs) to cover.

The Prime Minister made the announcement when asked by Western Governor, Taboi Awi Yoto.

Governor Yoto said his province is the largest in the country and will need to be considered by the Commission for new boundaries.

Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Kevin Isifu, said financial impediment has resulted in the closure of the commission for about a year or two.

Minister Isifu said financial constraint is the main concern that the Government will be looking into to resurrect the very important body within the Electoral Commission.

He said one of the main challenges as well was the location of the electorates.  

“Many electorates have raised the concern but because of funding constraints, work has been put on hold.”

However, O’Neill said it will take a lengthy process.

He said the government has already established the Electoral Boundaries Commission which comes under the supervision of the Electoral Commissioner to look into the electoral boundaries.

“Once they visit all the electorates in the country, they will then report back to the government to make recommendations.”

He said the last electoral boundary report presented to parliament was in the last term of parliament that was rejected by Parliament because of some fault in the report.