Trawen: Roll full of errors

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE electoral roll contains flaws and is inconsistent, Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen has said, The National reports.

He said this had been the case in the last 35 years and it needed correction before next year’s general elections.

Trawen was speaking at the closing of a week-long electoral managers’ workshop at a village resort outside Port Moresby last Friday.

He said the focus this year would be on preparing for next year’s election, with the priority on maintaining and updating the electoral roll.

The electoral roll maintenance programme had started throughout the country.

“The family order listing, which was trialled in Lufa and Manus late last year, has been recommended for use in updating the electoral roll, particularly in the highlands,” Trawen said.

The commission’s efforts were further boosted with the national government’s allocation of K24.7 million in the recurrent budget and K25 million from the development budget.

“For the first time, PNGEC has been recognised as a major player in the country’s democratic, economic and social development.

“We must embrace this opportunity and deliver our products and services, and putting together credible electoral rolls for the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections next year,” Trawen said.

On the proposed Hela and Jiwaka provinces, the electoral commissioner said there were still holes in the legislation that needed fixing before their boundaries could be finalised