Election problems

On one matter all parties agree - the electoral system in PNG is in serious need of overhaul.

About the keenest for re form is the Electoral Com missioner, Mr Luke Lucas, himself.

He’s already preparing a detailed report for the new Parliament on the conduct of the 1987 elections and on recommendations for the re writing of the country’s electoral laws.

Heading his list of priori ties is the need to tighten up the rules on sectional voting.

Under Section 141 of the Electoral Act people whose names are not on the Electoral Rolls can still claim a vote.

In practice all they have to do is give the electoral offic er at the polling booth their name, swear that they’re a citizen and over 18 and they are allowed to vote.

The most serious claims of sectional voting abuse were made in Port Moresby. De feated Member for Moresby North-East, Mr Tony Siaguru, claimed truckloads of people were brought in from outside the electorate to vote.

“No one likes a bad loser but what am I to do” ex claimed Siaguru as he lodged a protest with the Court of Disputed Returns.

“I polled over twice the votes from the Electoral Roll than did the winner (Mr David Unagi of the PDM).

But I was swamped by 7,753 sectional votes out of

14,202 cast. That’s more than 55% of the voters who were not on the rolls”

A computer program was designed whereby every single box in the country would be recorded but as frustrations grew and regio nal polling officials rang through results of more than one box at a time, the computer started rejecting the information.

Further problems arose from scrutineers. Each candidate was allowed two scrutineers and in seats where there were 20 plus candidates - and that was many in the Highlands - the counting rooms were filled with people disputing the count all the way.

In Mount Hagen, the chief returning officer became so intimidated by the crowd that he ordered the counting to begin again after one-and a-half-days. They had already counted 84 boxes but to quieten tempers down the whole process started anew.

At Tari, supporters of one defeated candidate burnt down the district office two hours after an exhausted Police Mobile Squad pulled out following 24 hours of vigilance without sleep.

There will be a score of appeals to the Court of Disputed Returns but few of the results are expected to be over-ruled.

Despite the problems well over one million Papua New Guineans cast their vote legitimately and their choice was recorded correctly.