by Jack Lapauve Jr – EM TV, Port Moresby
A review on all election manuals, processes and procedures is currently been conducted by the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission.
According to Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, the review allows a better understanding on guidelines, used by presiding officers, polling officials, LPV scrutiny, returning officers and election journal officers in any election conduct.
“The idea is to extract election information from senior PNGEC officers and stakeholders before they officially retire so that their knowledge and experience on elections are passed onto new commission staff,” Trawen said.
The review takes into account several issues including legal questions in the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections, financial issues, structure, branding and styling.
Workshops will be held in the coming months, to consult and gauge the views from a cross-section of people including, election managers, senior PNGEC staff, branch directors and stakeholders to get these election manuals reviewed for 2017.
PNGEC senior management has selected three female assistant election managers namely Daisy Hombogani (Northern), Antonia Nilkare (Chimbu) and Fredah Joses (Morobe) to review the manuals along with PNGEC’s key stakeholders including two advisors from the Australian Electoral Commission.
Commissioner Trawen said this is in preparation for the 2017 General Elections.