26 Aug 2016

UN reports on New Caledonia rolls

5:24 pm on 26 August 2016

A United Nations report on New Caledonia is encouraging those eligible to vote to enrol on the relevant rolls as the territory nears the 2018 independence referendum.

Two rolls are being worked on - one for provincial elections and one for the plebiscite.

The issues have been contentious for years as voting rights are restricted to long-term residents, with mainly Kanak politicians challenging the integrity of the roll.

The UN team said its job was a technical one and it was a work in progress for those in charge of finalising the rolls.

A UN official said in the report there was no reference to any alleged fraud, adding that there had been developments to improve the work and build confidence.

Noumea, New Caledonia

Noumea, New Caledonia Photo: AFP

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