Dede Sophie

 As the country goes into its second day of polling for the 2022 National General Election, Police Commissioner David Manning has once again appealed to the people of Papua New Guinea for their cooperation in making this election free, fair, safe and corruption free. Photograph of the security operations launch [Supplied] “It is the mission of the members of the security forces to ensure we have a free, fair, safe and corruption free National General Elections 2022. But this responsibility is not solely ours alone but for every citizen of Papua New Guinea,” Mr Manning said. Mr Manning made this comment when he launched the 2022 National General Election Joint Security Task Force parade at the Sir John Guise stadium in the nation’s capital, Port Moresby, on Friday 24 June. Speaking from Tari, where he witnessed the one-day polling for the Hela Province yesterday (Monday July 4), Mr Manning said the commitment of the security forces for a free, fair and safe election is evident from the

 Northern provincial election steering committee chairman, Trevor Magei has called on the PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) to release funds to airlift stranded polling officials and materials to remote areas. Magei, who is also Oro administrator made the call following no support from PNGEC as polling officials and teams remain stranded in Popondetta. He said majority of polling teams were still grounded as there was no definite response from PNGEC to airlift them remote to areas. “I have received reports from Kira, Tamata, Kokoda and Tufi Local Level Governments that polling officials are still stranded.  “This is the national elections and I need definite responses from the electoral commission as to when air support will come.” Magei, a former kiap, who also served as returning officer and assistant returning office for Northern, said he won’t allow polling teams to walk as there was no time or contingencies to do so. “Our other dilemma is the fact that major payments for provincial