Alleged scam investigated

Port Vila: Vanuatu’s Electoral Office is investigating allegations that seasonal work agents are demanding applicants to change their voting cards if they want to go to Australia and New Zealand.

Principal electoral officer Joe Johnson Iati said some applicants who normally voted in rural areas were reportedly being forced to change their notified polling stations to municipalities, and vice versa.

Iati said the allegations were disturbing, and asked anyone who was forced to change their voting cards to report to the Vanuatu Electoral Office.

He warned that agents forcing applicants for seasonal work to change their voting cards would be dealt with according to the law. — RNZ