Kandep Election Update

Source: The author via an sms from Kandep station

Update on the Polling

Network is still down in Kandep and polling is going on which started as early as 7am. Polling around Kandep station is complete and ballot boxes stored away safely by defence. Kokas 1 box was taken away by a culprit (named) and was recovered by security forces and bitten up that culprit. voting is still goign on at the moment. Those completed were Lungutenges 1& 2, Kokas 1& 2 as per sms I got now and we expect Sawi and nearbye areas to also be completed.

Enga ends voting, except in Kandep

Source: The National, Friday 29th June, 2012

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

POLLING in Enga province except Kandep was completed yesterday afternoon.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said because of the late polling in Kandep yesterday afternoon, it would continue today.
Lakari said Wape­namanda and Wabag districts were first to be completed, followed by Laiagam-Porgera.
He said Ambum had been completed and all ballot boxes were transported to the police station.
Voting in Kompiam had been completed but bad weather meant helicopters could not airlift the ballot boxes, polling officials and security personnel.
He said the helicopters would be ready this morning for the airlift.
Lakari said because of the heavy police presence in the province, polling had been conducted peacefully unlike in the past.
He said that was the result of the police pre-election awareness campaign for safe and trouble-free election.
Lakari said the cooperation of the people was overwhelming and had resulted in the peaceful polling.
He said all the ballot boxes were locked up at the police station.
He said Enga police and a section of a mobile squad 10 from Mendi would provide security for the ballot boxes.
He said the election manager would decide when to count the ballot papers.

PNGEC most unfair to PNG

Source: The National, Wednesday June 27th, 2012

AFTER the reports in today’s paper, nobody will be left in any doubt as to the level of preparedness of the PNG Electoral Commission for the conduct of the 2012 elections.
The preparation has been flimsy and lacklustre.
From throughout the country for the past few days, we have been receiving reports about shortage of ballot papers, lack of polling officials, non-payment of allowances for polling officials and names not being on the common roll which point an accusing finger directly at the PNGEC.
These complaints, while important, fade to insignificance compared to the fiasco that unfolded in the National Capital District yesterday.
This is the city where the PNGEC headquarters is. This is where all the planning is done and ideas tested. This is where every polling booth is accessible by road, where mobilisation of officials and polling teams ought to be operating like clockwork.
Yet, it was here in Port Moresby that the elections basically failed.
Under perfect weather conditions – a clear but overcast sky which provided excellent shelter from the normal blazing sun – the polling teams did not deploy to one electorate – Moresby Northwest.
In Moresby Northeast and Moresby South, where they did deploy, they arrived as late at 11am and were still waiting past noon for ballot papers.
In Lae, polling was deferred to today because of rain early yesterday when part of the morning and all afternoon, the weather was fine. What stopped the polling teams from deploying? Again, bad timing.
It is shocking. It is embarrassing.
The whole episode gives the lie to all the assurances the PNGEC has given the country that it is prepared to deliver free, fair and safe elections on time.
It gives credibility to the cacophony of voices immediately before the issue of writs which pressed for the elections to be deferred by a number of months in order for discrepancies in the common roll and other election preparations to be completed.
Those voices, the loudest coming from parliament, wanted elections to be deferred by up to six months.
Indeed, a motion was passed by a majority in parliament to that effect.
There was a move at the 11th hour to remove Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen but that was thwarted.
This disgraceful conduct of the PNGEC flies in the face of its staunchest defender in government, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who fought his own cabinet, his governing coalition partners and parliament to stand resolutely for elections to be delivered on time and for Trawen to remain as its head.
The conduct also puts to shame the unwavering support the PNGEC received from decent, law abiding citizens and groups both here and abroad – including the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United States – which supported elections to be delivered on the appointed date.
This newspaper supported that stance as well and we do not regret it one bit because the law does stipulate that writs for the next election must be issued not a day later than the fifth anniversary of the return of writs for the last election. That date fell due on Friday, April 27.
There had been enough manipulation of constitutional laws up to that time and we felt disinclined to support further such overtures while recognising the fact that election preparations were sloppy.
Despite this, the people have conducted themselves most honourably and that too emerged in NCD yesterday.
They slept hardly a wink on Monday night but there was hardly any disturbances in any of the suburbs – a most unusual thing for Port Moresby. They woke up early Tuesday and were walking peacefully in pairs or in family groups, not in busloads as in the past.
They enquired patiently at the polling areas and waited patiently for the polling officials and ballot papers and then returned peacefully home.
That is exemplary conduct worthy of praise.
The PNGEC has had five years to prepare for these elections. There should be no excuse for what is happening throughout the country and in NCD yesterday.
The PNGEC catch-word on its flyers and advertisements say: “Vote LPV, now that’s fair.”
Vote for a “free, fair & safe Election 2012”.
We say the organisation charged with delivering a free, fair and safe election in 2012 has been most unfair to the people of PNG.

Kandep candidates want official replaced

Source: The National, Wednesday June 27th, 2012

By YVONNE HAIP

VOTING in Enga province begins today but candidates contesting the Kandep seat have threatened to stop it if the returning officer is not replaced.
Kandep open seat candidate Alfred Manase had called for the immediate removal of the district returning officer.
He said the candidates had petitioned the Electoral Commission on June 15, giving it a seven-day notice to remove the returning officer.
The candidates alleged that the returning officer was a “close friend and associate” of MP Don Polye.
He said there would not be any voting for Kandep until the returning officer was replaced.
However, security forces and election officers will be on the lookout for any disruptions to polling to ensure it was conducted peacefully.
Voting scheduled for yesterday was postponed to today because of the late arrival of security forces to the province.
The delay began after the one day polling scheduled for each highlands province was extended in Southern Highlands and Hela from Saturday to Sunday, and parts of Hela to Monday.
Polling was slowed because of the delay in deploying security personnel and election officials to remote parts of the provinces due to bad weather.
Security forces began moving to Enga yesterday, with a few leaving this morning.
The Enga bus stop in Mt Hagen was packed with commuters trying to catch a ride back to their province so they could vote.
Many were stranded because there were not enough buses as most had been hired by the Electoral Commission.
Rural and urban settlers living in Western Highlands province were seen travelling to Enga on vehicles chartered by candidates who wanted them to vote for them

Armed men attack polling officials

Source: The National, Wednesday June 27th, 2012

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
POLLING officials were among people travelling in a convoy of vehicles who were ambushed while on their way to Wabag.
The polling officials were from the Kompiam-Ambum electorate in Enga province.
The polling officials were travelling in the convoy to Wabag town yesterday morning when armed men opened fire on them at Yanda Tunda village.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said they were driving into Wabag when supporters of another candidate blocked the road near Merimanda village and attacked them.
Lakari said the whole villagers armed with weapons attacked the passengers and also burnt their vehicle.
He said former MP Dickson Maki was taken hostage before security personnel intervened and rescued him.
Lakari said the security personnels cleared the road and brought the situation under control.
He said three men seriously injured were admitted at the Wabag general hospital.
An eyewitness who did not want to be named said the attack was related to an incident on Monday afternoon in Kompiam.
He said the supporters of some candidates in Kompiam-Ambum had demanded on Monday that presiding officers and assistant returning officers who had connections with particular candidates be replaced.
He said there was a prolonged argument before a fight broke out between supporters of the candidates

Polye responds to critics

Source: Highlands Post, Post Courier, June 22, 2012

Continuity in political leadership is as important as finding good leaders in the current election, a Local Level Government president from Kandep said yesterday.
“The voters need to understand that it is important for PNG and in the interest of political stability at the time of forming a new Government, that we retain some of the most experienced and mature politicians we have.
“The current MP for Kandep, Don Pomb Polye is one of these politicians we have to retain. It will take a new MP a very long time to be where Mr Polye is now in PNG politics,” said Tumu Akaiyalla, the president of Wage Local Level Government.
Mr Akaiyalla was responding to a letter by a Sambakali-penniam, of Mariant constituency which was published in this newspaper yesterday. In that letter, the writer accused Mr Polye of not doing anything for the Kandep District during his 10-year tenure.
Mr Akaiyalla said Mr Polye had put money into infrastructure in education and health which were there for all to see.
He said over K7 million went towards health infrastructure which included the completely new Kandep District hospital that cost more than K6 million. It will open its doors soon while the upgrading of the Catholic Church-run Sacred Heart Hospital at Mang will take place next.
Mr Akaiyalla said about K5 million went to education infrastructure and this could be seen at the Kandep High School and many primary schools in the district.
He said maintenance work on the Kandep road was in progress and with the Mendi - Kandep –Laiagam highway, getting off the ground, the future looked good for this district.
“Records also show that K4 million was spent on economic projects. Under that program, a lot of trade stores in the district were filled with stock as assistance to the operators,’’ he said

Kandep’s hour has arrived

Source: yutok, Post Courier, June 21 2012

For 10 lone years, Kandep people have been deprived of basic services delivery. All they have seen under the leadership of T.H.E party leader Don Polye is nothing except different musical tones with empty promises and mere lip services.
Realising that the time is near for the next term, he has delivered cold hard cash onto the hands of the people.
I wonder if a huge sum of money such as K4.7 million can be put to good use in maintaining and upgrading tangible service that can serve the majority of the people.
The poor people have stood by their sitting MP Polye as he promised them of getting the Prime Ministers post and promised that service delivery will come just like that.
All resources including the monies earmarked for projects in the district have all been wasted. Two terms have passed and the PM ambition has not materialised. The platform of being the next PM again appears to be the platform for Polye during the 2012 elections.
The sad thing that Polye has done to the people is just simply feed the people with crab with his words and a lot more empty promises.
Polye has totally deprived the people on basic service delivery in the area of human resource development, road and bridge infrastructure, one of the worse affected in the district. Health service delivery has been the other area that is in a very deteriorating and the public service machinery in the district has ceased to operate.
It’s a day away and the people of Kandep have a final opportunity to vote in a leader to represent them and deliver tangible services for the next five years. History for Polye in his last two terms (10 years) shows that he has delivered absolutely nothing to the district except playing better musical tones at the national level vying for the PM failing to realise that you and I will have such an opportunity one day to show him the door for the better.
In return for his total negligence, the people of Kandep now have a unique opportunity for change for the people, our children and the future generation to make a difference, that is, to show Polye the door on June 26, 2012. We have only two choices, make a change in leadership now for the better or miss this opportunity and return to the life style of our ancestors.
The ball is now in each individual’s court to make or break Kandep!
Sambakali -pennlam
Mariant Constituency, Kandep

Polye’s vote sums don’t add

Source: yutok, Post Courier, Friday June 16, 2012

Out of curiosity and interest, I read the news report titled “Polye confident of returning for Kandep” as reported on Post-Courier of 12th June 2012.
The reality in Kandep now is that Polye is expected to score even less than what he has scored in the 2007 and the 2009 elections. His support base is all gone and the reality is that, Polye has no full votes in any polling venue, once his 100 per cent support base.
Votes in his support base such as Lakalap 1, 2 and 3 is split between his brother rival Sakias Tamao as well as Gini 1 and 2. Kolopa 1 and 2 are all split between his greatest rival Alfred Manase, Sakias Tamao and Polye himself. Kokas 1 and 2 is also split between Manase and Polye.
The Aimbreps, an area where were Polye scores good votes are now rallying behind the former Post PNG managing director Peter Mission Yaki, another possible contender for the seat. If his full 100% support base is split, Polye has no say in the rest of the polling venues.
The news should have been reported as, more people have left Polye and he has higher chances of loosing the Kandep seat.
Polye to win by more than 30,000 votes raises concern because he does not have the numbers now.
His supporters have left him because of his non-delivery of tangible services accompanied by his conning tones of voice for people to rally behind him during his past elections.
His more popular free cash hand-out of millions of kina to the hands of the people has fuelled up tribal fights resulting in trouble but appears that this has not worked in his favour.
I urge all the Polye’s 59 rival candidates including the two front runners, Alfred Manase and Sakias Tamao to rally together and block off all possible techniques that Polye can use to meet score his 30,000 votes.
With an honest, true and fair election for Kandep in 2012, Polye and his T.H.E party will be history in the making.
The Kuprups
Mariant Constituency, Kandep

Investigations reveal MPs misusing public funds

Source: Post Courier News, Friday June 16, 2012

By Simon Eroro

PUBLIC funds held in district and provincial trust accounts are being used by certain Members of Parliament dishing out public funds for elections purportedly for new projects from district and provincial trust accounts.
Investigations conducted reveals transactions are conducted in relatively large amounts which includes payments made to companies where there are no evidence of ongoing projects and duly executed contracts.
Investigations also revealed that other MPs are involved in money laundering activities, orchestrated through different bank accounts.
The Chairman of Taskforce Sweep Sam Koim also confirmed receipts of numerous complaints recently of sitting MPs dishing out public funds on the eve of elections on purported projects.
Mr Koim said one of those that they had receipts of was a complaint of allegation of recent payments out of Wabag DSIP Trust Account held at Bank South Pacific Limited.
Copies of the bank statements also obtained by this paper show from January – June 2012 for Wabag DSIP Trust Account-subsidiary, large cash withdrawals and payments were made by Wabag MP Sam Abal and in the months of May and June 2012.
It shows persons by the names of Emily Abel, Ester Ere (district treasurer), Peter Sarr (policeman and bodyguard) received substantial amounts, totaling millions of Kina in the last three months.
In June 7, 2012, a total of K310,000 was cashed and paid to chicken farmers and another K388,000 was withdrawn by Mr Abal personally and K360,000 was paid to Ester and Emily on June 8, 2012 from Wabag DSIP Trust Account 1001372834 with BSP.
Mr Abal could not be reached for comment, however, his First Secretary Larsen Talian has denied the allegations made against Mr Abal.
Mr Talian said these project payments were not bogus as alleged.
He said this was the work of Mr Abal’s political rivals, trying everything they feel to discredit him.
He said candidates should spell out their policies and platforms for the people to see rather than raising mere allegations against a leader like Mr Abal who had delivered well for his electorate, province and the country.
He said cash handlers, including commercial banks also had a duty under the Proceeds of Crime Act to report suspicious transactions – and they were encouraged to observe those obligations, especially at this time.
This paper was also informed that the Ombudsman Commission used to issue directions under its lawful powers to stop unnecessary payments from provincial and district trust accounts before the issue of writs for the 2012 National Elections but had not done this election.
Mr Koim said it did not matter who was the signatory to those trust accounts because the signatories of those trust accounts were mere trustees over those accounts.
He said the State was the ultimate holder of these trust accounts and still had proprietary interest over the funds kept in those accounts.