Concerns raised on Election Law Consultation in Hela

Chairman of the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission, Robert Atiyafa, has raised concerns on the security issues in Hela Province, which forced the deferral of the consultation on the review of the Election Law in the province last week.

The consultation team was in the province to carry out the consultation on the 28^th and 29^th of November but was unable to do so because of the volatility of the situation on the ground.

“We will make a second attempt to consult this province or get submissions from the provincial government and administration but if all else fails, then they will have to be summoned under the relevant laws of the Commission,” Mr. Atiyafa said.

He added that this will also apply to Enga Province where consultation on the 29^th and 30^th of November was canceled due to a prior commitment by the provincial authorities.

Mr. Atiyafa said with the year nearing the end, the Commission is pressed for time to complete the review within the government’s target time-frame of 18 months, adding that it was crucial for all the provinces to be consulted as required by the constitutional directive of the review.

“I am adamant we will pull this off,” Mr. Atiyafa said.

Apart from Hela, Enga, Southern Highlands, Western, and NCD, all the provinces are already consulted.

The consultation is expected to be completed before the year ends and a final report of the review is to be submitted to the government by March 2019.

Meanwhile, consultation for Northern Province and Milne Bay Province were concluded successfully last week. Mr. Atiyafa who led the consultation in Milne Bay attributed the positive outcome to the good nature and cooperation of the people of the two provinces and the on-the-ground support from the stakeholders including the provincial authorities.

Consultation for Southern Highlands Province is scheduled for Monday 3^rd and Tuesday 4^th of December followed by  Western Province, on the 5^th and 6th. Consultation for NCD is yet to be confirmed.

Source: Press Release Constitutional Law and Reform Commission, Sunday 02^nd December 2018