The people of Bougainville will go to the polls soon to elect a new member to represent them in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Parliament, after the Governor General, His Excellency Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae, issued the writs for the by-election yesterday in Port Moresby.
The Bougainville Regional seat was left vacant after the then sitting member, Joe Lera, resigned to contest in the Bougainville Presidential Election this year.
PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) Acting Commissioner, Mr. Simon Sinai said they are ready to go ahead with the by election after they were finally granted the initially K8million from the K15million funding for the by election.
“We have put in place all our administrative arrangement, especially the people who will be leading to run election, the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer, and Assistant Returning Officers representing the regions or the electorates in Bougainville,” said the Commissioner.
“The Provincial Returning Officer will be based in Buka. There will be Assistant Returning Officer located in South Bougainville in Buin, Central Bougainville in Arawa and another Assistant Returning Officer in North Bougainville in Buka.”
“We are ready, Electoral Commission is ready. As I speak, my deputy and my directors are on their way to Buka to touch base with the Buka election steering committee and discuss on the same issue, so they are also given notice to prepare to support the electoral commission to run elections in whatever means and possible areas they can assist.”
Meanwhile, nominations for intending candidates will open at 4pm Thursday 03rd December 2020 and closes on the 10th of December 2020. Polling is expected start on the 16th of January 2021 and ending on the 29th of January 2021.