Transcript
The Electoral Commissioner admits that the roll he inherited, which was used in the 2012 general elections, was inflated. Patilius Gamato says Australia's Electoral Commission has helped cleanse the roll of about 109-thousand so-called "ghost names" out of a total of more than 4 million. He hopes to print the final roll by the end of March. An intending candidate in Hela province, George Tagobe, says getting the roll right is important in his province, given the potential for unrest.
"In this election if the common roll is updated fairly and if we can allow people to vote rightfully I do not think there will be any problems. But if the common rolls are not updated properly. If people are stuffed around then that is the time I think they will show their frustrations."
In West Sepik, the former provincial governor Simon Solo, admits the common roll is the big worry, especially after he lost his seat in the last election when under-aged voters were found to have voted.
" I am pretty sure that they will not make the same mistakes again like underage. The electoral commission themselves allowed the small kids to go and cast the votes. I believe for this coming election they will not do that anymore. Because the security would make sure the fair and free, follow the rules of the election."
So far 4,000 candidates have applied to contest the 111 parliamentary seats.The opposition leader Don Polye has warned about last-minute government plans to tweak election rules in Parliament.Changes include raising the candidate fee from 1000 to 10,000 kina, or 3000 US dollars, and shortening the election campaign period from two months to one. Mr Polye told local media that the changes marginalise candidates outside the ruling party, and infringe on people's democratic rights as voters.
"Voters also need to assess those candidates well before they cast the votes. The citizens need to assess individual candidates who present themselves as leaders of the country. Within four weeks that cannot be adequately achieved."
Mr Gamato strongly denies the opposition's claims that the independence of his office has been compromised by the cabinet. He says he makes briefs to cabinet on their requests, and he admits he made submissions which have prompted the plans to change the campaign period;
"There is no influence from the cabinet and the prime minister. I am doing my job I know what I am doing in terms of running elections. I have got support from within the electoral commission. The staff there have run a couple of elections before that, there are some senior staff there also providing support and advice. So we are working together as a team. To say cabinet is influencing, the prime minister is influencing I think that is not a fair comment."
The prime minister Peter O'Neill has said every effort will be made to ensure security around polling for the 2017 elections which he insists will be free and fair.