PNG 2017 Election Polls Plagued With Problems
Students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) — who protested against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill last year — said they were denied the chance to vote
Voters in Papua New Guinea are crying foul after thousands of them were taken off the electoral roll as the country goes to the polls. Opposition candidates accused the Government of doctoring the roll, while voting in some provinces has been postponed because of disputes or logistical failures.
Students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) — who protested against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill last year — said they were denied the chance to vote. The university has roughly 5000 students and several hundred staff, but on polling day they discovered there were only 1300 people registered to vote there.
“But now, I’m standing here, my name is not on this roll.”
The same thing happened to students at other universities, who also protested last year. UPNG student leader Samuel Apa said he found it suspicious.
“If this can happen at the University of Papua New Guinea, it’s happening right across the country,” he said.
Former PM accuses government of interference
Former PM Sir Mekere Morauta — who is trying to return to Parliament — also vanished from the roll.
Polling officials could not find his name when he tried to vote. “I checked many times to see where my name was and it isn’t there,” he said.
Mr O’Neill, in a statement, rejected the allegation.
“There is a common thread running between all the wild claims of the opposition members, and that is a lack of statement of fact or evidence to back up their claims,” he said.
“Aside from some administrative issues, the elections are proceeding and errors are being resolved.” But the problems have been noted by international observers, such as the chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Sir Anand Satyanand.
“Unfortunately there are repeating examples of people whose names are not on the roll, despite having said they are registered,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s own electorate in the Southern Highlands was not immune from polling problems — voting there has been postponed because ballot boxes did not arrive.
In contrast to some highlands provinces, voting in Port Moresby was largely orderly and peaceful, even if it came three days late. Voter Helen Nanumea said she was grateful the polling eventually went ahead.
“Just having to go through and see that I was an eligible voter was a good feeling,” she said.
“It’s just a good feeling to actually, finally vote and I believe this nation really needs change.”