Simon Sinai

When launching the Electoral Roll, the PNGEC also released the 2022 national election program. The dates for the elections are as follows:

Issue of writs – April 28

Close of Nominations – May 5^th

Polling – June 25^th to July 8^th

Return of Writs – July 29^th

PNGEC's focus is to strengthen coordination between the provincial administration and key stakeholders for efficient and successful 2021 electoral roll update and the 2022 national election. However, funding is yet to be made available for the operations.

Sinai said the PNG Electoral Commission has been assisting elections in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville from the initial stages, right through polling and now to the counting process.

The Electoral Commission, PNG Civil and Identification Registry, Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs and the Central Provincial Administration will be collaborating in this project.

Sinai said the pilot project is a collaborative effort between the agencies to collect development data.

Voters registration for the Kupiano Ward 5 LLG by-election will be led by PNG Electoral Commission using the biometric system to get voter details and conduct new enrollments.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar said the case will remain at Waigani after Police Prosecution asked the court to have the matter transferred to the Madang District court to undergo the committal court process, where the offenses are alleged to have taken place.

From the Tambul area of Western Highlands Province, Sinai and his lawyer appeared in court today for the first time since his arrest where the allegations against him were read and explained to him in court.

Yama made this statement after the arrest of deputy Electoral Commissioner Administration Simon Sinai on Monday by the fraud squad in Port Moresby.  

Yama said political offices are public offices where transparency and honesty should be maintained at all times.

He said the arrest of Sinai was just one out many that are yet to come, and thanks the fraud squad for a job well done.

“Electoral officials must not change what the people have decided on the ballot papers.

“Their duty was to be transparent and honest in anything they do.”

Sinai, who is currently the Deputy Electoral Commissioner operations, was slapped with the three charges by the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate yesterday.

Just after lunch time on Monday, he was taken to the fraud office at Konedobu, Port Moresby, to be interviewed by detectives.

His arrest follows alleged involvement in foul play during the by-elections for the Madang Open seat.

Sinai was the election manager based in Lae during the National Election. However, he was appointed returning officer for the Madang Open by-election in 2013.

He is also seeking contempt charges against the returning officer involved in the Madang Open by-election recount in 2014, Simon Sinai, and their lawyer Harvey Nii.

Yama is seeking contempt charges against Trawen, Sinai and Nii on allegations they misled the court with wrong information when the court was dealing with an election petition filed by Yama, challenging the election of current Madang Open MP Nixon Duban.