Kairuku-Hiri awaits by-election

Source:The National, Thursday 3rd of January, 2013

By ELIAS NANAU

 

TWO 2012 election petitions have been upheld so far by the court of disputed returns and the Electoral Commission is expected to conduct a by-election for one of them - the Kairuku-Hiri open seat in Central.
The commission is yet to make an announcement regarding that.
David Isoaimo, a petitioner challenging Paru Aihi successfully sought the relief for by-election after Justice David Cannings concluded that Aihi, a member of the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress (PNC) Party, committed bribery to procure votes, won and returned to parliament.
Tony Waterepu Aimo was another petitioner and he was declared as an MP for the Ambunti-Dreikikir open seat, East Sepik, by the court.
Justice John Kawi declared Aimo as member elect after he found that Ezekiel Anisi was not of legal age (under age) when he was elected and Anisi’s name was not on the electoral roll.
Anisi had filed for a judicial review to challenge Kawi’s decision and the matter was heard by Justice Derrick Hartshorn. The decision is pending.
Several election petitions have either been dismissed or withdrawn by petitioners from an initial record 105 petitions registered after the 2012 elections.
The election petition website calculated that 17 cases were dismissed and
eight withdrawn or discontinued.
The latest dismissal, just after Christmas, was the election petition by Jimmy Maladina challenging the win by second-term Alotau MP and National Planning Minister Charles Abel.
Abel is a member of the PNC Party.
Maladina had disputed that Abel had bribed voters and exerted undue influence during campaigning.
But Justice Sao Gabi found that Maladina failed to justify his grounds to convince the court.
Maladina said he would be appealing the decision in the Supreme Court.
“I have very strong grounds to successfully review this decision in the Supreme Court,” Maladina said in a statement.
Most election petitions have been slated for full trials at respective national court houses in the provincial centres near the electorates and these are expected to start when the justice department resumes work.
There had been applications to move trial locations because of security concerns but election petitions judge administrator Colin Makail was firm that it was the responsibility of petitioners and elected members to ensure supporters behaved

Polye: Poll payments next month

Home

Source:The National, Thursday 3rd of January, 2013

By SHIRLYN BELDEN

MONEY to pay 2012 general election service providers will be ready by next month, Treasurer Don Polye said yesterday.
More than 300 service providers in the country, including private businesses and election contract officials, would receive K34.4 million for services provided during the June-July general election last year.
The money was delayed last week due to processes in acquiring and making available the funds as the financial year closed.
The delay included screening the number of service providers and their claims.
Polye said instructions had been given to the Finance Department to clear and release the money to the Papua
New Guinea Electoral Commission by next week.
He apologised for the delay.
Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen had pledged to pay the service providers by Christmas but that did not eventuate.
Trawen had blamed the Finance Department for not releasing the money.
More than K29.8 million would be used to pay for vehicle hire. Others such as boat hire, catering and hotel accommodation would make up the balance.
Service providers in the highlands would get K17.9 million followed by Southern K5.7 million, Mamose K5.6 million and New Guinea Islands K1.2 million.
Trawen had said, in addition, the commission owed contract officials K4 million, bringing outstanding payments to K34.4 million

Polye aims for top

Source: Post Courier, May 10, 2012

By FRANK RAI

Kandep MP and Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) party leader Don Polye has been hailed as a potential Prime Minister after the 2012 General Elections.
Deputy party leaders Tom Olga (Highlands) and James Gau (Mamose) told more than 1000 people during the party’s convention at the Eriku Oval in Lae yesterday that Mr Polye had the credentials to become the new Prime Minister.
Mr Olga is the Governor for Western Highlands province and Mr Gau is the Madang Governor.
Mr Polye vowed to lead the country as the PM if given the confidence by people of Papua New Guinea through the candidates that the party had endorsed.
The Kandep MP said he had been in the Government for the last 10 years as two-times Deputy Prime Minister, had held other senior ministerial portfolios and was confident to be the PM.
“Papua New Guinea needs new leadership, a leadership that is shaped with quality, vision and wisdom,’’ Mr Olga said.
“And those characteristics are found in none other than Don Polye who is prepared to take this country forward.’’
The Western Highlands Governor reiterated that former PMs in the likes of Paias Wingti, sir Rabbie Namaliu, Sir Julius Chan and Sir Michael Somare would no longer lead this country when PNG needed young leadership.
Mr Olga said THE Party was as good as its leaders, including Don Polye, James Gau and himself who were committed to weed out corruption and deliver services to the people.
Meanwhile, Mr Gau also said after 37 years of Independence, the country was still swathed with issues affecting family units, Government and the country.
Mr Gau said he had reasons to break away from the National Alliance (NA) party after careful consideration because State Ministers in the NA Government went ahead to drain the country’s wealth and resources.
“There were no change and there were too much corruption involved in all the government business so I had to break away and form this new party with Mr Polye,’’ Governor Gau said.
“I have no regrets but am confident that THE Party will form the new government.’’
He added that his party will have its force in the Mamose region, basically to ensure that the candidates put up a good challenge on other candidates in the respective Open and Regional seats in the region

Debate on poll chief heats up

Source: The National, Monday 23rd April 2012

THERE is growing evidence that the government may sack Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, removing a steadfast obstacle to parliament’s vote to suspend the June election by six months.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said last Friday the government appointments committee was investigating an alleged discrepancy in Trawen’s reappointment as head of the commission in 2010 by the government of Sir Michael Somare.
O’Neill said he had received legal advice that the appointment of Trawen was flawed.
He said he had advised the chief secretary to look into the matter and report back to the appointments committee.
If the appointment |was flawed asadvised, then the committee would make the appropriate decision.
“If it is not addressed, then everyone will take the matter to court.
“Therefore, we will do what is right to ave the integrity of the Electoral Commission.
“We did not want to make any decision as we did not want people to misconstrue our intentions and accuse us of doing it for our benefit.”
O’Neill was responding to a question raised by Kundiawa-Gembogl MP Tobias Kulang, who wanted to know if the government was aware of an article in The National of the flawed appointment of the electoral commissioner.
Documents received by The National revealed that Trawen had reached 55, the normal public service retirement age, but was reappointed in February 2010 for a five-year term

No one has powers to defer general election, says Amet

Source: The National, Friday 20th April 2012

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

PARLIAMENT, government and the electoral commissioner do not have constitutional powers to defer elections, Sir Arnold Amet said.
The former chief justice and Madang regional MP said at a media conference that the Constitution (section 105) was explicit that the life of parliament was fixed for five years and could not be extended.
Sir Arnold said section 105 set three timeframes to set dates for an election. The first was the ordinary five years such as now that elections were due.
He said the second occasion for the Electoral Commission to fix dates was in the last 12 months of parliament where a vote of no-confidence was successful against a prime minister. The House is then dissolved.
Sir Arnold said the one that was relied upon wrongly was the deferral of election for six months using section 246 of the Constitution on the extension of the term of parliament.
He said the extension could only occur when, on the National Executive Council’s advice, the head of state declared a national emergency or when there was a declaration of war with another country.
Sir Arnold said what was advised by the electoral commissioner was okay as long as the dates of polling and the return of writs were fixed.
“The electoral commissioner does not have the inherent powers to defer the election. He only has powers to fix the dates for the issue of writs.”
Meanwhile, opposition leader Dame Carol Kidu said the government had itself to blame because, in the past, parliament rose in March to give MPs time to check the common roll and help the Electoral Commission to work on the rolls.
“Now the intending candidates are submitting names and sitting MPs are sitting unnecessarily in parliament passing draconian laws which is destroying our Constitution,” she said.

PM stresses need for good leaders

Source: Post Couirer, March 21, 2012

By PETER KORUGL

The Hiritano Highway starts from Port Moresby and ends at Kerema town, making the capital of Gulf Province, the only provincial capital in Papua New Guinea to be connected to the nation’s capital.
The highway is being rebuilt and very soon, the trip between Port Moresby and Kerema will take about three hours, a big improvement from the five hours it is taking at present.
“We will make sure that the highway will be sealed to prevent soil erosion and damage due to the constant rain. Once the highway is sealed, it will last for sometime,” Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who flew into the town on Monday told a gathering of up to 3000 people.
The rebuilding of the highway is not the only good thing Gulf Province has got going for itself. Ten kilometres west of Kerema town, a major infrastructure is being constructed, which is the talk of the province at present. By 2015, the first export of LNG gas is expected from the Gulf LNG project from there.
Another major project is the K2 billion Purari Hydro Project, which when completed, is expected to produce energy that will power the entire country and even Australia.
These are among several major multi-million kina projects that are in the pipeline which places Gulf Province in a unique position, like no other province in PNG.
“Gulf and Southern Highlands provinces are in a unique position. They are home to some of the world class resource projects and we just have to make sure that the benefits are managed well.
“Look at Southern Highlands. It has been exporting oil for the last 20 years but there is nothing on the ground to show for it. This is because of poor leadership,” Mr O’Neill said.
Mr O’Neill may be making a general comment but his comments rang true for Gulf. Political infighting between various political leaders over the years has taken its toil on the province.
“Our leaders are not working together. The two Open MPs are not working with the Governor and the Local Level Governments,” a keen observer told this newspaper.
It was obvious also that the political infighting has also impacted on the public service. Public servants are divided in their loyalty and that has been the case for some time.
“We need public servants who must remain committed to their jobs and serve the government of the day. As human beings they have the right to political association but they should not bring this to work,” a senior public servant said.
Provincial administrator Orisuru Avai has a big task on his hands to hold the public service together to deliver much needed services to a province, divided by huge rivers, swamps and mountains filled with huge tracks of virgin rain forest.
“With the closure of the only bank, our people are facing a big problem. Small businesses are closing down because doing business in Kerema is tough,” Mr Avai said.
For a province that has produced two prime ministers, two governor generals and a lot of highly educated men and women, the struggle to break free from the “least developed province” tag is continuing.
Today, it has set five key goals as its pillars to come out of this struggle. They are integral human development, health and education, social welfare, economic and infrastructure development.

Nominations predicted to increase

Source: Post Courier, March 21, 2012

By Simon Eroro

NOMINATIONS for the 2012 National Elections is predicted to grow by 10 percent compared to 2007 nominations.
One of Papua New Guinea’s first real estate expert Charles Yariyari who spent five years working in Australia with the Professionals, the biggest real estate company in the Australasia Region said the increase will largely be contributed by the economic boom in the country.
Mr Yariyari said in 2002, there were 2836 nominations – the country expected that Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) would reduce the number of candidates in that year’s election, however compared to the 2007 figure of 2726; there was only a slight decrease which showed a drop of 4 percent.
He said in the 2007 National elections, the highest nomination was from the Eastern Highlands Province with a total of 357, followed by Morobe 259 and Chimbu 254 nominations.
“I recall comments by at that time by the Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen who said “it is interesting to note that there was a real major change in the number of nominations received in this election”.
Mr Trawen’s comment was like predicting the future – the pace our county is going in terms of development aspects, nominations will increase by 10 per cent,” Mr Yariyari said.
Mr Yariyari also tipped Northern Province to repeat its record in 2007 by recording the high number of nominations in its Regional and two Open seats with 155, compared to, much larger provinces this election.
He said Northern recorded a high number of nominations for a small province compared to much larger provinces like Western Highlands and Eastern New Britain Provinces while Manus recorded the lowest number of nominations at 32.
In 2007;
* Eastern Highlands - 357
* Chimbu – 254
* Morobe – 259
* Madang – 209
* Southern Highlands – 202
* Northern – 155
* Western Highlands - 141
* Central - 141
* East Sepik – 141
* Enga – 140
* Gulf – 122
* West Sepik – 115
* Western – 108
* Milne Bay - 84
* West New Britain – 68
* NCD – 62
* East New Britain - 56
* New Ireland - 41
* Bougainville - 39
* Manus – 32
Mr Yariyari has tipped Southern Highlands, Morobe, Eastern Highlands and Northern to top the list of nominations respectively and while Manus and New Ireland to remain at the bottom of the list for 2012 election nominations.
He has urged Papua New Guineans to vote with their own conscience and not for the love of material things.

Think big and wisely when choosing leaders

Source: The National, Wednesday 21th March 2012

THE decisions we make at the polls will affect our political, social and economic destiny for the next five years and beyond.
The awareness and education must intensify in the remaining months leading to the election in June.
The kind of government we have next will depend on the kind of lea­ders that we, the voters, choose.
As a democratic society, people of all walks of life will be exercising their freedom to compete for the 109 seats and among them, there will be black sheep.
It is up to the voters to screen and analyse all the candidates, both on party lines and as individuals, before eliminating them one by one until the best three are left.
Out of the three, we must prioritise in order of our preferences before we actually take up positions in the queue at the polling stations.
We do not have to screen all candidates, but select the best five and screen their education qualifications, work experiences, religion, visions, aspirations as well as their social, economic and political backgrounds.
People have to be wary of so-called master sanaps, who are poli­tical rejects that break election rules out of desperation.
They are the ones that accumulate arms and instigate election-related violence and tribal wars that result in the destruction of innocent lives and property.
For us to develop and advance in politics, not only must we elect the best leaders but we must also change our corrupt and traditional practices.
We must put aside our family connections, clans and tribal links, our feuds and rivalries, our personal grudges and immediate personal wants and needs.
We must do away with our wantok system and the kisim na givim or get-and-give habits.
We must refuse cash handouts from candidates because bribery deludes our minds and makes us stumble in our choice of leaders.
We must stop enrolling ghost names and do away with so-called campaign houses, which are no­thing more than brothels and gambling dens.
If we do not change our mentality, we will continue to depend on Australia and other foreign agents.
It is up to us to change for the better.
The opportunity to elect leaders comes once every five years and we cannot afford to abuse it.
The decisions that we make in June will affect our well-being, and that of our children, communities, electorates, provinces and the country as a whole for the next five years and beyond.
We must think big, think national and act saliently.

Francis Níi
Kundiawa 

Somare: Stick to election schedule

Source: The National, Tuesday 28th Febuary 2012

By ISAAC NICHOLAS and JEFFREY ELAPA

GOVERNMENT’S proposal to postpone the election found ready opponents yesterday who say there are no valid reasons to support such a move.
Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah floated the idea on the weekend, saying updating the electoral roll was behind schedule and the introduction of a bio-metric-based voting system would need six months to implement.
But deposed prime minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, the Trade Union Congress and non-governmental agency
Transparency International felt that the explanation was flimsy at best.
Sir Michael said the news should not come as a surprise to people of Papua New Guinea.
“The move is consistent with the string of other actions by the O’Neill-Namah regime since taking office illegally on Aug 2 last year.
 “Knowing that the election cannot be deferred they will have to suspend the Constitution.”
He said the people of Papua New Guinea must stop listening to their reasons for continually violating the standing orders of parliament; the Personnel Management Act and the Constitution.
 “We cannot allow the elections to be deferred or the Constitution to be suspended.
 “I call on O’Neill and Namah to go to the election and prove your legitimacy.
“You cannot defer the elections. In the interest of the people of Papua New Guinea the elections must go ahead,” Sir Michael said.
TUC general secretary John Paska said the congress strongly opposed the government’s intention to postpone the 2012 general election.
 “It is very disturbing to hear of reports of the O’Neill government faction’s intention to postpone the election.
“There just isn’t any credible justification to do so,” Paska said.
Paska, from Kavieng, New Ireland province, said there could be justifiable reasons to postpone election in the Southern Highlands province out of fear of violence but the rest of the country remained peaceful and keen to exercise their right to choose a legitimate government.
“These invaluable rights cannot be held to ransom by the un-preparedness of one or two provinces.”
The congress had consulted national and provincial electoral officers as well as the police who had said they were prepared to conduct the election.
 “So where is this preposterous idea coming from?”
Paska said serious constitutional questions still remained unresolved over the legitimacy of the government.
“This latest gimmick cuts deeply into the constitutional rights of the people of PNG, giving rise to the perception that the O’Neill faction is predisposed to reshape and bend the Constitution any which way they choose to suit their ends.
“It cannot and must not be
tolerated under any circumstances.
“We condemn it in the strongest possible terms and call on the Opposition and MPs not to support it,” Paska said.
Transparency International PNG chairman Lawrence Stephens said: “We have the experience of eight elections and the efforts of a large number of good people behind the preparations for the coming election.
“We view with the greatest concern suggestions that we should delay the elections scheduled to commence on June 23.
“The people of Papua New Guinea know that it is their right to vote for their representatives now.
“They know that the thought of hanging onto public office for a little longer is very attractive to those about to face the judgement of their electorates.
“It is too easy to say we are not prepared for the election and use this as an excuse to stay in power longer.
 “It appears to us that we are, once again, witnessing MPs looking for a way to exempt themselves from facing the consequences of their actions.
“TI PNG is reliably informed that the electoral rolls are as ready as they have ever been and possibly more so.
“It is extremely disappointing to hear that MPs are deliberately creating fear with the impression that we are less prepared than we have been in the past.”

State may defer poll

Source: The National, Monday 27th Febuary 2012

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE government is considering postponing the 2012 general election by at least six months to ensure the common roll update is completed, deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah said.
It will also allow election officials time to put in place a bio-metric voting system to ensure a fair and just election.
Namah told a media conference yesterday that Enga Governor Peter Ipatas, Madang regional MP Sir Arnold Amet and Western Highlands Governor Tom Olga had accepted that the electoral roll was incomplete.
“There will be a failed election and the government will take a position on the deferral. We will introduce a bio-metric system using electronic voting to save costs,” he said.
It will take up to six months to have the electronic system in place and the government, through parliament, will decide on March 20, when parliament resumes.
“Now we will have to make wider consultations to seek views of all stakeholders on the next course of action – to delay the election or not,” Namah said.
Parliament last Friday dedicated the session to debating a statement to the House on the preparation for the general election presented by the leader of government business, Moses Maladina.
The government questioned the report by Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen on the election preparation that the electoral roll “is about 60% complete, meaning 2.4 million of PNG’s four million adults are eligible voters”.
Maladina told parliament that 40% of the common roll update was incomplete for the highlands provinces, especially the new Jiwaka province, Enga and Western Highlands.
“I have since received independent reports that this is not correct,” Maladina said.
“Yesterday afternoon (Thursday) the electoral commissioner admitted that there were some ‘pockets’ within the regions (Southern, New Guinea Islands and Momase) which were incomplete.”
Maladina said he had received independent reports that electoral rolls for the nation’s 89 open electorates had not been returned to many electorates.
In response to the report, tabled in parliament but not yet available to the public, Maladina gave a six-month approximate deadline for the introduction of bio-metric technology.
It identifies people through a characteristic unique to them, such as fingerprint. The system had been considered by the government of Sir Michael Somare following allegations of voter fraud in the 2007 election.
“This government has now re-engaged with the Indian government and entered into an agreement with the Indian Unique Identification Authority to establish a bio-metric identification scheme in PNG,” he said.
“On current estimates, it will take at least six months for a bio-metric system to be put in place.”
Former attorney-general Sir Arnold told the chamber he would consider supporting a temporary suspension of the election if it meant that they would be free and fair.
Sir Arnold said he would be supporting a bi-partisan push to suspend the election.
“Forty per cent (unregistered voters) at this point is grossly unacceptable,” he said.
“It may be in the nation’s interest that the election be deferred for an appointed time.”

Election will clash with royal visit, says deputy PM

Source: The National, Monday 27th Febuary 2012

DEPUTY Prime Minister Belden Namah has questioned the wisdom in holding the general election during a visit by the Prince of Wales and his wife in June.
He raised the concern in parliament in light of also the incomplete common roll update by the Electoral Commission and security preparations.
Namah said during debate last Friday that Papua New Guinea was part of the Commonwealth and election was a key feature of its member countries.
He said the royal visit in June, when there was likely to be election-related violence, was not good.
Namah said it was in the interest of the nation that a fair and just election be conducted using the bio-metric system which would take at least six months to be commissioned.
The other reason he raised to warrant the putting back of the election was the LNG project construction which should peak between March and September this year.
Tari-Pori MP and chairman of Hela Transitional Authority James Marape supported that view, saying the LNG project created 3.5% of the growth rate enjoyed by the country.
He suggested that the two events should not overlap.
Marape said Southern Highlands had experienced a failed election in 2002 and election-related violence should not be underestimated.
He said the number of trucks carrying cargo on the highway from Lae to the project site in Southern Highlands would increase from 200 a month to 1,000.
Election-related issues could result in delaying the LNG project schedule.
“The LNG project cannot afford to have a one-year delay.
“There will be huge cost build-up and it also needs to meet market deadline.
“The election process must not impinge on a very important project for the nation,” he said.

Report election fraud to police’

Source: Post Courier, January 17, 2012

By JONATHAN TANNOS

ELECTORAL Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, has strongly urged citizens to prevent and report election fraud to the police.
He said this in view of the coming general elections and preparations now being undertaken by the commission to implement the polls later in June.
In the Commission’s latest awareness publication Mr Trawen said there had been baseless accusations relating to fraud on the part of his officers from the last elections.
Mr Trawen said he did not want a repetition of these unproved accusations and urged mainly aggrieved parties, Members of Parlaiment and failed candidates to report what they claim to be fraud directly to the police.
Mr Trawen revealed a clear case involving claims of fraud by Wewak MP, Moses Manwau, against his officers which were never proven as per the Supreme Court that upheld his election.
He said Mr Manwau should have directly filed complaints of fraud with the police if he had any proof or evidence to back his claims.
“Since Dr Manwau has already made allegations in the media concerning bribery against elections officials he should report this to the police for investigations rather than generally claiming in the media that elections officials are corrupt and have been bribed,” Mr Trawen said. Mr Trawen said in total 27 election petitions were dismissed by the courts from the 2007 elections and 15 others withdrawn. He said currently there were no outstanding election petitions and there were only four applications for review still pending. He said the Supreme Court ordered only one re-count and the National Court three, plus the National Court ordered two by-elections.

Be wary of election ‘sweets’ from candidates

Source: yutok, Post Courier, Friday October 21, 2011

AS IN previous elections, corruption featured prominently. Every candidate, including ones previously found guilty of corruption, pledged to fight corruption if elected. In fact several candidates campaigned from jail where they were serving time for misappropriation of public funds. Besides a Who’s Who of PNG society, the 2,800 candidates for the 109-seat Parliament include many ex-convicts and others with criminal records. The ordinary voter does not seem to care, either. In anti-corruption rallies organised in Port Moresby and Lae, the turnout was less than for a midweek football game. The sad truth is that issues seem to matter little to voters. The majority of voters apparently expect to be bought or paid. Vote buying and houseline (clan) voting decided the outcome of most constituencies.
All candidates and parties promised “development” and poverty eradication if they were elected, never mind those they had no concrete plans and the nation was on the verge of bankruptcy. One party had a simple plan; its manifesto promised K10,000 a month to each PNG family; the money would come from scrapping the civil service. Since the civil service was known to be incompetent and inefficient, it was thought better to scrap it and give its allocated budget directly to the people. PNG, we are heading for disaster.

Frank GOI, Auckland, NZ

Choose leaders who have a heart for people

Source: yutok, Post Courier, Wednesday October 12, 2011

IT really makes me wonder when it comes close to election year.
It is just a year away and in various places, small grandstands are being built to host MPs going around distributing money for projects and the like.
One thing that makes me unhappy is that where were they for the last four years?
Where there any money for those projects when they entered the parliament? Or were they just given the money lately to put up such grand stands.
Now it comes back to us the voters, why can’t we use our GOD given sense to see what these MPs have done.
We must be wise and vote leaders that have the people at heart to develop the communities in the country.
Enough of these lollies for the kids.

Sick and tired

Parliament not a place to earn living

Source: yutok, Post Courier: Friday October 7, 2011

MEMBERS of Parliament in the 1970s and 80s worked very hard as soon as they entered Parliament.
They left behind them a lot of landmarks in the history of the development of Papua New Guinea after independence. There were airstrips, wharves, roads, demonstration farms, shipping, export of agricultural products, even the export of goods, and clean drinking water.
After the 1990s, there was hardly any major development at all, with the exception of one or two. Since then wharves have broken down, shipping to remote islands are non-existent, airstrips have been turned again into secondary forests, and road conditions worsened. Intending candidates for the coming general election are talking about so many physical developments they want to carry out if they are elected. Where will you get the money from for these kinds of promises? This is a genuine question because many of you have gone without jobs in the past few years and this is not a good leadership. If you cannot make a decent living, how can you want to enter Parliament? Just to get fat salaries to make ends meet?

Frank Goi, Auckland, NZ

Media gear up for polls

Source: 

The National - Friday, September 30th 2011

ELECTION is a commodity pro­duct that media organisations must take full advantage of and sell with care, senior journalist and broadcaster, Kevin Marai says.
Officiating at the Bridge election workshop for journalists from Momase, Islands and Highlands on Wednesday, he said an election was a very important commodity as it would increase readership, listeners and viewers.
Marai, who is executive director of NBC’s Kundu 2, stressed the importance for media outlets in the country to plan and strategise their coverage of the elections well before 2012.
He said it was important for the media and the Electoral Commission (EC) to maintain a healthy relationship and work hand in hand on voter education to help voters in next year’s election.
“As practitioners, we need to build a relationship with EC to enable easy access to information on the electoral process.”
He said the commission relied on a free media to provide election news to the public, help with voter education and provide direct access for contestants.
He said the media relied on the commission to help ensure a good regulating environment for covering elections and information on the electoral process.
 “Now that journalists are beginning to seal a relationship with EC, their organisations must make use of this opportunity to sell themselves with care.”
Bridge facilitator Gabriel Kaugla, who was speaking as a returning officer, said the 2012 General Election would be very tough and rigid.
 He said the election would put a lot of media personnel lives’ at risk.
He said this was why they would be holding trainings with security and disciplined forces to make them understand that they were not supposed to take full control of the election but to work closely with the media in accessing information as the public had the right to know.
The week-long Bridge Project, which began on Monday, highlighted cross-cutting issues like accessibility to the electoral process, gender, technology, sustainability and conflict management – issues that always appear and are deeply linked to elections in the country.

Govt sacks Wagambie

Source: 

The National - Friday, September 30th 2011

By JEFFREY ELAPA

GOVERNMENT has sacked Po­lice Commissioner Tony Wa­gam­bie, saying it is in the interest of the state and necessary for the stability of the police force leading to the 2012 general election.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the sacking was “through no fault of Wagambie” and accused the ousted Somare go­vernment of mishandling the appointment in the first place.
O’Neill yesterday said the decision by the National Executive Council to remove Wagambie was not politically motivated.
Former deputy police commissioner Tom Kulunga will be acting commissioner.
Kulunga is an experienced police officer and was the deputy commissioner (administration).
O’Neill said he had advised the head of state to terminate the appointment of Wa­gambie in the interest of the state.
He said the revocation was done after full consultation with the public ser­vice commission and permanent parliamentary appointment committee.
He said the government’s actions were absolutely necessary to ensure stability within the police force over the next 12 months until the general election was over.
The announcement fol­-lowed the disbanding of the NCD fraud unit on Tuesday and the replacement of NCD central division commander Fred Seekiot and NCD me­tro-politan commander Supt Joseph Tondop.
Kulunga when asked to comment on the recent developments within the force, said he would not make any statements currently affecting the top NCD command.
He said he had learnt of the decision from news being relayed to him and was yet to receive an official notification from the government and head of state.
A senior police officer said Kulunga should look at issues affecting the police force such as the dis-
banding of the NCD fraud squad and the relocation of the top NCD command.
O’Neill said the former government had appointed Wagambie without concluding the mandatory consultation process with the appropriate constitutional institutions.
He said Wa­gambie was due to retire next July and his appointment was confirmed by the former government for only 14 months, contrary to the Police Act which required that an appointment must be for four years.
O’Neill said Wa­gam­bie’s retirement meant a new commissioner would have to be appointed during the crucial stages of the 2012 general election.
He said such changes would most likely disturb the command and control of the police force at a most critical time.
He said he could not put at risk law and order and the peace in the country during the elections due to a change of command and control in the police force.
O’Neill said Wagambie’s contract entitlements would be paid out so that he did not lose out on remuneration prior to his retirement next July.
He said cabinet had also directed that names of suitable candidates be sub-
­mitted to it for perusal

Electing good MPs starts with us

Source: 

The National - Tuesday, September 20th 2011

GOOD leaders do not come easily and we need to be careful whom we elect in the general election next year.
As voters, our biggest challenge is to identify the most capable person to represent us in parliament.
Our votes are very important because it will determine the next government and opposition to take our nation forward.
That is why our vote is of great importance and value.
The candidate we mark at the polling booth is the choice we make for ourselves, our family, the future generation and PNG.
Our biggest challenge is to make that choice.
What are our weaknesses?
We allow candidates to buy our votes with money, beer, lamp flaps, pigs, cows, dogs, goats, guns, etc.
We are forced to vote along clan and tribal allegiance when we know that our wantoks do not have the qua­lities of national leadership.
We become cowards as we are afraid to stand up for what is right.
We must not allow others to dictate us, follow the group and harass the weak and poor.
Looking back, we made stupid and foolish decisions in past elections.
As a result, there is little deve­lopment in our electorates and pro­vinces while our members continue to enrich themselves and built their empires at our expense with no regard to improve our general well-being.
In a few months, we will elect new members of parliament.
I call on Papua New Guineans to think carefully on whom they want to vote into parliament.
We must not allow ourselves to be bought but let potential candidates  earn the right to be in parliament.
Listen to the candidates’ speeches, discuss among family members and friends, and look at the candidates’ educational qualifications and professional background, marital background, religious background, standing in the community, leadership qualities, etc, before casting our vote.
Papua New Guineans must stand against the use of fear tactics by candidates and their supporters.
All of us have a duty to proactively inform our families, wantoks and friends that choosing good leaders starts with us.
Stand up against bad election tactics like use of guns and bribery.
Protect what is right to select good leaders that can take this nation forward.


Samson Sigl Wena
Kerowagi