Funding for PNG elections still lacking

Transcript

The Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission is calling on the government to release funding of around 60 million US dollars within the next few months.

The Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato says the money is needed to prepare and conduct the 2017 elections.

Mr Gamato recently announced that national and local government elections would be held together during June of that year in an effort to keep costs down.

He also says the commission has decided to decentralise enrolments to the provinces.

Mr Gamato says more than 30 million dollars would be needed to update the electoral rolls, but there were also 19 million dollars worth of unpaid bills from the previous election and other costs to meet.

He told Koro Vaka'uta he was still waiting to hear from the government.

PATILIAS GAMATO:  Not yet.  My estimation for the preparation this year is about 192 million kina.  The national government has only allocated 10 million kina.  That's a shortfall of 182 but I am sure they will provide funding because the election is important national event and the government has always been very supportive.  I'm hoping that they can support as, especially for the preparation of the 2017 elections.

KORO VAKA'UTA:  You mentioned the 10 million, how far will that go, the money that you have?

PG:  We are already preparing.  It is just a matter of government releasing the funds.  I am hopeful that by March, April/March, they can provide the funding so that we can go straight into the major task which is the updating of the electoral roll.

KV:  It seems quite a lot of money but is it easier to get the money in one bulk figure or can it be drip-fed?

PF:  I have encouraged the government to front-load the money so it can enable us to do the work of preparation, especially updating of the electoral roll.  If they provide funding in dribs and drabs according to cash flow, it will affect our activities so I have written to the government to front-load the funds so we can do the work.

KV:  And you said that you're confident will be forthcoming but what happens if there are issues around funding?

PG:  That's another challenge but I am sure, because the election is an important national event as I said and the Prime Minister is actually aware of that.  I have had briefings with the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary for government and so I am sure they can provide the funding as early as March/April for us to start the work.

KV:  You mentioned updating the roll, how long will that take?

PG:  That process takes about six months.  If funding is made available and we start together across the country, that process takes about six months.  That involves going down to the council ward areas and to the villages and enrolling people who had not turned 18.  For example in 2012, that was our last election, and they were underage but now they have turned 18 or over, the enrolment process basically goes out there to pick up those people or if there has been a migration of people moving from place to place.