Election 2012 Media Briefing 27th July 2012

ELECTION 2012 MEDIA BRIEFING

Thank you once again media for coming…

In the media briefing this afternoon, I would like make responses to some issues that have surfaced in the past few days.

Firstly, I would like to let the people of Usino-Bundi in Madang know that Returning Officers have NO powers to declare elections in a particular electorate as FAILED; it is the Electoral Commissioner upon advice from the Elections Advisory Committee.

Unfortunately, the Returning Officer for Usion-Bundi was threatened by supporters of a candidate and he was forced under duress to make the announcement to calm down supporters of that particular candidate according to Reports from Madang.

I have stood him down on advice from Madang Provincial Election Steering Committee and have appointed the current Returning Officer for Madang Open electorate James Apimia to complete the eliminations and make a declaration of the winning candidate.

For Imbonggu, Nipa-Kutubu and Hagen Open electorates, I have yet to be fully briefed and therefore could not confirm the issues surrounding elections in these electorates.

Issues surrounding the 12 disputed ballot boxes for Moresby North East Open electorate…I still stand by my decision and will NOT back down on it despite threats of legal action taken against me by Moresby North East candidate John Kaupa and NCD Provincial candidates Michael Kandiu and Ambassador Aiwa Olmi.

My advice to them is that if they are aggrieved then the only avenue left for them and is the correct procedure is to register their case as an election petition with the Court of Disputed Returns after declaration of the results.

The next issue that has come to my attention and needs to be address is the restrictions imposed on the media to cover counting in the counting centers, particularly in Gulf and Western Highlands Provinces.

I am disturbed to hear and read through the media about the media being barred from covering the counting in Western Highlands and Gulf provinces.

These restrictions are in total breach of our Code of Conduct for Elections and even denial of Right to Information as provided for in our National Constitution.

Provincial Updates

Chimbu – All the Open electorates are going towards the end of their eliminations are expected to make declarations tomorrow or Sunday. Only Chimbu Provincial electorate is going through quality checks before eliminations could begin hopefully eliminations would commence on Saturday.

Eastern Highlands – All electorates are now going through eliminations are expected to make some declarations soon.

Gulf – Kerema open electorate has completed its elimination and a declaration is expected soon so as Gulf Provincial Electorate and expect to make declarations soon. Candidates have asked for a Recount however, my position is that candidates can take it in the court of Disputed Returns after declaration.

Madang – Usino-Bundi to make a declaration later this afternoon with only the Madang Provincial electorate going through the final stages of elimination.

Morobe – Only Morobe Provincial electorate which is in its last elimination and a winner is expected to be announced tonight or tomorrow morning.

Jiwaka & Western Highlands – Going through eliminations.

Northern, West Sepik, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Southern Highlands and Enga Provincial electorates should make declarations soon as they near the completion of their elimination process.

Ladies and gentlemen, this brings to conclusion my statement for this afternoon’s media briefing.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE  

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

Friday 27 July, 2012

Party Standing as @ 24th July 2012

Party Standing

Party	Declared
PNC	20
IND	6
PPP	6
NAP	5
PNGP	5
THEP	5
URP	3
CFRP	2
MLP	2
PP	2
PUAP	2
SDP	2
IPP	1
NGP	1
ODP	1
PANGU	1
PDMP	1
UP	1
Declared	66

ELECTION 2012 MEDIA BRIEFING - ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

ELECTION 2012 MEDIA BRIEFING Thank you media for coming…. Ladies and gentlemen, this afternoon I am holding a joint media conference with the Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates Dr. Alphonse Gelu to address and clarify the hot issue at the moment – Political Horse Trading – as lobbying to form the next government in the 9th Parliament heats up. Dr. Gelu, thank you for your time. Firstly, I would like to address some urgent issues at hand and one of them is the issue surrounding the Imbonggu Open electorate seat in which TWO DECLARATIONS have been made in the last 48 hours. I am aware that sitting Member for Imbonggu Francis Awesa has been declared yesterday according to results on the PNGEC website. However, I am not aware of the current situation in which a second declaration was made just before midday today where the Returning Officer nullified the declaration of Francis Awesa and declared Pila Niningi as duly elected Member for Imbonggu. I am seeking legal clarification on the matter from PNGEC’s lawyers and will inform you in my next media briefing. On the issue surrounding the arrest of the Acting Returning Officer for Moresby North East Open electorate, I would like to confirm that he was arrested and charged yesterday afternoon at the Boroko police station and has been released on a K500 bail. In the light of this situation, I am now looking to appointing more neutral PNG Electoral Commission officers to take charge of both NCD Provincial electorate and Moresby North East Open electorate. On the issue of East New Britain Provincial electorate counting and elimination process being suspended for six (6) days now over unpaid allowances, I would like to inform you that we are currently addressing their grievances so that counting can resume and come to a conclusion with the declaration of the result. Taking in account delays in the counting process in less than 50 electorates nationwide, the extension of the date for the return of writs to His Excellency the Governor General appears to be the likely scenario. So far, writs all the writs for Hela and New Ireland provinces, Ialibu-Pangia, Kandep, Wapenamanda and Hagen have been returned. I expect writs for those declared electorates by the end of business tomorrow. Last week, I’ve set the deadline for all the writs to be returned to me by tomorrow Wednesday 25 July to give me enough time to go through the election results and returns to prepare my advice to the Governor General but unfortunately that is not likely the case now. I will now assess counting in those provinces that are still going on so that I can be able to estimate a time frame to advise the Governor General accordingly. Ladies and gentlemen, this brings to conclusion my statement for this afternoon’s media briefing. On the issue of political horse trading, I now invite Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates Dr. Alphonse Gelu to explain and clarify requirements of the Integrity Law. Dr. Gelu… APPROVED FOR RELEASE   ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER Tuesday 24 July, 2012

WRITS FOR IALIBU-PANGIA, KOMO-MARGARIMA, KOROBA-KOPIAGO AND KANDEP OPEN ELECTORATES RETURNED

MEDIA STATEMENT

Writs for four more electorates have been returned this week to the PNG Electoral Commission headquarters in Port Moresby.

Yesterday the Returning Officer for Ialibu-Pangia Open electorate returned the writ to the Director Election Operations John Ellee.

This morning the Returning Officers for Koroba-Kopiago, Komo-Margarima in Hela Province and Kandep Open electorate returned their election writs to the PNGEC affecting successfully completing elections in their electorates and declaring their members-elect.

Member-elect and sitting MP for Kandep Don Polye, member-elect Koroba-Kopiago Philip Undiali and member-elect for Komo-Margarima and sitting MP Francis Potape accompanied their Returning Officers to witness the return of writs for their respective electorates.

The three leaders commended the PNGEC and its officials as well as the security forces in conducting a peaceful election in their respective electorates and vowed to work together as national leaders for the betterment of PNG and its people.

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen was present to witness the return of election writs for the three electorates at the PNGEC headquarters in Port Moresby this morning.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

Thursday 19 June 2012

PARTY STANDING SUMMARY AS AT 19 JUL 2012 3:27pm

PARTY STANDING SUMMARY AS AT 19 Jul 2012 03:27pm.
Party	Declared
People’s National Congress Party	7
People’s Progress Party	5
Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party	3
Independent	2
National Alliance Party	4
PNG Party	2
People's United Assembly Party	2
United Resources Party	1
People's Party	1
Social Democratic Party	1
New Generation Party	1
Melanesian Liberal Party	1
PANGU Pati	1
Coalition for Reform	1
Total -	32

TRAWEN SAYS MORESBY NORTH EAST BOXES ARE NOT REJECTED

on Wednesday, 18 July 2012. Posted in News

The Electoral Commissioner has declared that the six boxes from Port Moresby North East Electorate’s Ward 6 at six mile in Port Moresby will be either admitted or rejected for further scrutiny when Electoral Commission’s lawyer completes her interviews with the teams in relation to allegations made by several other candidates.

Mr Trawen said the Electoral Commission lawyer is still interviewing the team and said these boxes are just set aside and the Retuning Officer will decide whether to admit for counting or not.

He also stressed that there are provisions of law that governs the counting process and it is only proper and legal that when there is an alleged anomaly, legal advice is sought.

Mr Trawen said the national election is governed by the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections and it is my duty to seek legal advice whenever necessary. Such measure promotes and strengthens the electoral process.

Trawen appeals to all candidates, supporters and scrutineers to be calm and to follow the process and procedures set in place for counting.

He concluded that Election is every Papua New Guinean’s business. If we take due care of the rules and laws that govern the election, we will have a good election and if the candidates, scrutineers and supporters do the same, we will achieve it.

MORE DECLARATIONS MADE AS COUNTING CONTINUES

on Wednesday, 18 July 2012. Posted in News

Counting for all electorates around the country continues today and is progressing very well despite minor hiccups.

Today’s counting has seen some declarations made in several electorates.

In the Central Bougainville Open, PNC candidate Jimmy Miringtoro was declared this morning at 11:20am with 4205 votes, and his runner-up Dominic Itta of PMC Party finished with 3961 votes.

South Bougainville also declared its elect member this morning at 11:28am, the United Resource Party Steven Pirika Kamma was declared with 10,262 votes. Second to him was Tomithy Masiu for Melanesian Alliance Party candidate with 5087.

To the Highland region and John Pundari of People’s Party has retain his seat for the Kompiam-Ambum Open this afternoon at 2:27pm with 19,638 votes. His opponent an Independent candidate finished in second with 8938 votes.

A PNG Party candidate Francis Potape was also declared at 1:00pm this afternoon for the Komo-Magarima Open with 16,236 votes.

THE Party candidate Philip Nai was declared yesterday afternoon at 1:54pm with 22,358 votes for the Koroba-Lake Kopiago Open.

Independent candidate Aiya James Yapa Lagea has been declared the member elect for Kagua-Erave Open with 19,043 votes. Finishing in second place is PNG Party candidate Komeali Kapo Ropa with 14,929 votes.