Voters attack poll officials
Bulolo returning officer Raune Jombat said voters, whose names were not registered on the updated rolls, were angry and attacked the polling officials and security officers.
Polling was suspended after the incident but is expected to resume today.
He said the presiding officer received head injuries and was rushed to the hospital.
He said soldiers and prison officers, who were supposed to provide security at the Wau polling station, did not turn up.
“Security at polling sites is a concern as the promised additional manpower of CS and Defence Force troops have not arrived in Bulolo,” Jombat said.
He said a quarter of the police contingent in Bulolo had been deployed to the highlands. Security for voting in the electorate depended on the few police reservists.
“They have allowance grievances and are reluctant to perform their duties. Another security contingent is yet to be airlifted to Garaina,” Jombat said.
Tony Ase, the national planning adviser in the Morobe provincial administration, was concerned about the likelihood of a repeat of common roll problems in the rural districts in Morobe.
He said the rolls were updated and the updates sent to the Electoral Commission. He could not understand how names of people, who had voted in the 2007 general election, were missing from the list for this election.
He said at Bosadi village in the Morobe Patrol Post area of the Huon Gulf electorate, voters were turned away when their names were not found on the common roll. He said it was a village setting and updates were done properly and the lists sent to the Electoral Commission.
“Voters must not vent their frustrations on the polling officials. The fault lies with the Electoral Commission,” Ase said.
The one-day polling for Lae open is scheduled for tomorrow.
Reports of the Saturday polling in the other rural electorates of Markham, Nawaeb, Finschhafen, Kabwum, Tewai-Siassi and Men yamya could not be obtained.
Source:
The National, Monday June 25th, 2012
By EDDIE MOSES
Wrong instructions stops polling
Gazelle district returning officer Ekonia Walom confirmed suspending the polling at Lamairanam ward, Inland Baining rural local level government on Saturday afternoon after incorrect instructions were issued by his presiding officer who led the polling team which was stationed at the Utmei aid post.
Walom said the presi ding officer was issuing ballot papers for open seats to voters and incorrectly instructed them to list their three regional seat choices while the ballot papers for regional seat were given out with the instruction to list three open candidate choices.
It is understood the majority of the people in the Lamarainam ward were illiterate Sepik settlers.
Many voters showed up to cast their votes, the majority being between 18 and 25. They were disappointed when polling was suspended at 3pm.
The voters confirmed the instruction issued by the presiding officer earlier was correct but it was changed after 1pm.
It is understood all the ballot papers filled out were regarded as informal on Saturday afternoon and were expected to be destroyed at the Kerevat police station.
There are about 450 eligible voters in Lamairanam ward out of 11,910 eligible voters in Inland Baining LLG, with only l,130 people voting on Saturday before polling got suspended.
This means that about 260 ballot papers, 130 for open seat and another 130 for regional seat were expected to be destroyed yesterday afternoon.
There could be rescheduled polling for Lamairanam ward after other wards in the Inland Baining LLG are covered
this week.
It is believed all the returning officers met yesterday to discuss the Lamarainam polling issue and other pressing issues raised during the first polling day in the province.
Source:
The National, Monday June 25th, 2012
By ABIGAIL APINA
Polling marred
A man was killed during a dispute with a candidate over the location of a polling venue in Southern Highlands’s Imbonggu electorate on Saturday when polling started.
Provincial police commander Sibron Papoto confirmed that the killing resulted from an argument a group had with a candidate who wanted to move the polling station from the designated area.
A man was punched to the ground and later died. Security personnel searched the home of the candidate involved and found a high-powered gun, a pistol and rounds of ammunition (story on page 3).
Police also reported that three ballot boxes were destroyed in the Hela province.
Polling was delayed on Saturday after election and security personnel and election materials arrived late.
Single day polling for all highlands provinces started on Saturday in Southern Highlands and Hela. It will move progressively through Enga, Western Highlands, Jiwaka, Chimbu and Eastern Highlands.
Elsewhere:
lIn Chimbu, a candidate was arrested and locked up following a shootout with soldiers;
lIn Bulolo, Morobe, a returning officer was hit on the head when voters could not find their names on the common roll;
lDisgruntled polling officials in West Sepik complained of not being paid their allowances, resulting in Aitape polling deferred to today. Lack of aircraft stranded the Telifomin polling team;
lPolling in a ward in Gazelle, East New Britain, was suspended. Manus, New Ireland, West New Britain and the rest of East New Britain reported successful polling; and
lPolling in Central and Gulf also got off to a good start.
Read details and more in our comprehensive coverage inside.
Source:
The National, Monday June 25th, 2012
NCD and Central polls run smoothly
National Capital District and Central police commander Francis Tokura said polling went smoothly except for a few complaints raised at Kemabolo village, in Rigo, when 28 people did not vote for their regional candidate because of a shortage of ballot papers.
Tokura said at Gaire village, in the Kairuku Hiri electorate, voters had to be asked to come back today as polling started late at around 11am.
“Abau electorate will start polling today, while the other three electorates, including the regional seat, will continue polling,” he said.
Tokura said all polling stations reported no problems with security and he was pleased with the way voters had behaved.
He said polling in the province would end on June 28-29 but that would depend on how fast the voting process took place.
Source:
The National, Monday June 25th, 2012
By JUNIOR UKAHA
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