PNGEC remains tight- lipped on election- related issues in Usino/Bundi by-election
The PNG Electoral Commission continues to remain tight-lipped on one or two election- related issues arising from the Usino/ Bundi by-election.
Retuning Officer Terence Baiyo says he has sent briefs on the separate incidences to the Electoral Commission, however; he has not received any response until today.
He adds that whilst the hijacking of the ballot box and papers last week on the border of Madang and Eastern Highlands provinces has been registered as a police matter, PNG EC is yet to clarify whether the 300 ballot papers that were illegally removed from a polling location at Kesewai and used for polling at Gusap will be accepted into counting or not.
Mr Baiyo says both the Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, and the Election Manager in Madang, Sponsa Navi, have said nothing about the incidences.
"I need clarity on the Kesewai case. Three hundred ballot papers is a lot. I have already taken out the polling kit, the butts and all the things for the APO [assistant retuning officer] to do the returns so we can assess whether certain ballot papers for Kesewai were put into the ones that came from Dumpu. The second issue is the venue of counting, and that is the whole issue why we are here today," he adds.
Candidates vying for the Usino/ Bundi by-election were at Walium Station today waiting for the Provincial Election Manager, Sponsa Navi and the Deputy Provincial Administrator, Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, to address them on the second issue before counting can resume next week.
Madang Police Chief, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, has requested in writing to the PNGEC early in the week for counting to be moved to Madang due to security reasons, however; he has not received any response for about three days now.
Certain candidates agree with PPC Baim for counting to be moved to Madang Town, stating the PNGEC should take into consideration his request being the chief security advisor in the province and the Operations Commander for the Usino/ Bundi by-election.