Polling in the Milne bay province is expected to be completed today begin counting by next Monday or Tuesday.
The provincial electoral office is using all its resources to ensure the deadline is met and for counting to begin next week Monday.
The Milne Bay Provincial Election Office has pulled out all stops using all the transports assets at its disposal to ensure the deadline is met.
Assets like the New Zealand Air Force Iriquois (pronounced like EEIRE-KOI) Helicopters have transported polling teams and ballot boxes to areas in the Alotau Open Electorate areas in accessible by road and sea.
The helicopters ferry the polling teams and ballot boxes between the Milne Bay and Central border.
The PNGDF Maritime Element has also been called on with a patrol boat HMPNGS Moresby sailed in from Lombrum Patrol Base on Manus and arrived in Alotau on Wednesday afternoon.
The patrol boat has taken on food, fuel and water to sail this afternoon (Thursday 4 July) to Yaleamba to pick polling teams and ballot boxes to be dropped off at Misima and Losuia.
Meanwhile, MILNE BAY ELECTION MANAGER, DADU DAGA, said all polling in the province has been completed with a few remaining to be completed soon.
Daga said that he had asked the Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen for an extension and it had been granted.
He indicated that there have been no major incidences of concern. He added that the counting was anticipated to proceed as schedule.
The Milne Bay counting sites are:
Alotau Open at Cameron Secondary Strang Hall;
Milne Bay Regional at Catholic Youth Hall;
Kiriwina Goodenough Open at Kiriwina High School;
Samarai Murua Open at Misima High School.
