MEDIA STATEMENT COUNTING MUST NOT BE DELAYED BY UNNECCESSARY DEMANDS SAYS PNG ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, ANDREW TRAWEN, CMG, MBE.

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MEDIA STATEMENT  COUNTING MUST NOT BE DELAYED BY UNNECCESSARY DEMANDS SAYS PNG ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, ANDREW TRAWEN, CMG, MBE. Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, today said delays in all counting venues should not be made unnecessarily.  Mr Trawen said this following report from certain parts of the country and the National Capital District of Candidates and their scrutineers forcing or putting undue pressure on counting officials and Returning Officers to suspend counting needlessly.  Mr Trawen said counting was often stopped due to the absence of scrutineers which he said should not b be case.  “It is not obligatory on the Returning Officer and counting officials to ensure scrutineers are present all the time before counting can take place or is continued,” Mr Trawen said.  "Under Section 150 and Section 151 of the Organic Law on Elections, the Returning Officer can authorize counting to go ahead without a scrutineer or scrutineers present. “However, the PNG Electoral Commission has always taken into consideration the wider interest of the community in the past and has always insisted on ensuring scrutineers are always present before any counting starts. “Therefore all candidates must take responsibility and ensure their scrutineers are always present and on time in order to stop the unnecessary delays in the counting.” Ends…. APPROVED FOR RELEASE ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER Tuesday 10 July, 2012