Dede Sophie

Papua New Guinea goes to polls on Monday 4 July and Electoral Commissioner Mr Simon Sinai says the Electoral Commission is ready and looking forward to it. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, (Friday 1 July), Mr Sinai said all preparations for the polling have been completed and the Electoral Commission is ready to deliver a free, fair and safe election.  Papua New Guinea is ready for polling, says Electoral Commissioner [Photo: Simon Sinai/Supplied] “From the Electoral Commission, all preparations have been done for polling, especially in terms of electoral roll, ballot papers, polling team kits, polling officials, Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) appointments, and election trainings.” As of last week, all the election polling materials were dispatched throughout the 22 provinces. Mr Sinai added Ballot papers are currently being transported to each district in each of the 22 provinces and onto Local Level Governments (LLGs). “All provinces have re

 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