Kandep by-election in Southern Highlands Province

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen today announced that he has decided to delay the by-election for the Kandep Open seat by one week.

“The tentative election dates approved by the Governor General which I announced in Mt Hagen two weeks ago are still tentative as such until we (Electoral Commission) are satisfied that all arrangements for the by-election are in order,” Mr. Trawen said.

He says these arrangements include the release of K4.5 million funding by the Treasury department, gazettal of the appointment of three Electoral Commission officials tasked to run the by-election and the movement of necessary logistics such as ballot boxes and ballot papers to Kandep District.

Other arrangements, the Electoral Commission says, need to be in place are the movement of electoral officers who will conduct polling and counting to Kandep and security personnel arrangements to be put in place by the Police Commissioner, Mr. Gari Baki.

Mr. Trawen says until the Commission is satisfied that all these arrangements are in place, the Kandep by-election will proceed. He added that the delay will also allow the Electoral Commission to know the result of the notice of withdrawal of the Supreme Court review application filed by ousted member Don Polye’s lawyers which is scheduled for hearing on Thursday 10 September.

Mr. Trawen says the Electoral Commission has the duty and responsibility under the Constitution to conduct national elections and by-elections in PNG in accordance with the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections.

Section 74 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections clearly states that in case of a by-election, the Head of State acting with and in accordance with the advice of the Electoral Commission, shall as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs, issue his writ for the election of a new member. The revised program for the Kandep Open seat by-election to be sanctioned by Government House is:

Issue of Writs: Thursday 17th September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Nomination Closes: Wednesday 23rd September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Polling Starts: Monday 16th November, 2009

Polling Ends: Friday 20th November, 2009

Return of Writs on or before: Friday 11th December, 2009

Meanwhile, Mr. Trawen has brushed aside comments by one David Ulg Ketepa in last Thursday’s Post-Courier newspaper viewpoint on the Kandep by-election branding them as mere “false impressions” by an ignorant person who is not up to date with laws and events.

“I did not announce the dates for the Kandep by-election within days…I did so after almost two weeks and after studying the National Court’s decision,” Mr. Trawen said.

Mr. Ketepa claims that the Kandep by-election would set a precedent as the dates were announced within days after the court of disputed returns nullified Mr. Polye’s 2007 election win.

On the Madang and Western Highlands Provincial seats, Commissioner Trawen has already explained that the matters were still before courts and it would be contempt if the Commission went ahead and announced the dates for by-elections.

Mr. Trawen says he is concerned that people do not understand the legal issues and implications concerning court-ordered by-elections, yet they make unsubstantiated media statements that serve no purpose but only cause more confusion.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

06 TH OCTOBER, 2009

*** Mr. Trawen didn't address the questions I raised in my letter. The Western Highlands and Madang Regional seats were declared null and void. Why is it taking too long for by-elections for these seats? It seems to me that Mr. Trawen is a puppet dancing to the tunes played by the National Alliance led government.

If we don't see these regional seats in a by-election soon, we would confirm that Mr. Trawen is not only a puppet but rather a window-dresser at the Electoral Commission office. Mr. Trawen's reactions imply that so long as the National Alliance led regime is at the helm, they can manipulate the laws of Papua New Guinea to suit their hidden agendas.

Is that the scenario you're trying to show the six million people of Papua New Guinea?

Kandep by-election in Southern Highlands Province

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen today announced that he has decided to delay the by-election for the Kandep Open seat by one week.

“The tentative election dates approved by the Governor General which I announced in Mt Hagen two weeks ago are still tentative as such until we (Electoral Commission) are satisfied that all arrangements for the by-election are in order,” Mr. Trawen said.

He says these arrangements include the release of K4.5 million funding by the Treasury department, gazettal of the appointment of three Electoral Commission officials tasked to run the by-election and the movement of necessary logistics such as ballot boxes and ballot papers to Kandep District.

Other arrangements, the Electoral Commission says, need to be in place are the movement of electoral officers who will conduct polling and counting to Kandep and security personnel arrangements to be put in place by the Police Commissioner, Mr. Gari Baki.

Mr. Trawen says until the Commission is satisfied that all these arrangements are in place, the Kandep by-election will proceed. He added that the delay will also allow the Electoral Commission to know the result of the notice of withdrawal of the Supreme Court review application filed by ousted member Don Polye’s lawyers which is scheduled for hearing on Thursday 10 September.

Mr. Trawen says the Electoral Commission has the duty and responsibility under the Constitution to conduct national elections and by-elections in PNG in accordance with the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections.

Section 74 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections clearly states that in case of a by-election, the Head of State acting with and in accordance with the advice of the Electoral Commission, shall as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs, issue his writ for the election of a new member. The revised program for the Kandep Open seat by-election to be sanctioned by Government House is:

Issue of Writs: Thursday 17th September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Nomination Closes: Wednesday 23rd September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Polling Starts: Monday 16th November, 2009

Polling Ends: Friday 20th November, 2009

Return of Writs on or before: Friday 11th December, 2009

Meanwhile, Mr. Trawen has brushed aside comments by one David Ulg Ketepa in last Thursday’s Post-Courier newspaper viewpoint on the Kandep by-election branding them as mere “false impressions” by an ignorant person who is not up to date with laws and events.

“I did not announce the dates for the Kandep by-election within days…I did so after almost two weeks and after studying the National Court’s decision,” Mr. Trawen said.

Mr. Ketepa claims that the Kandep by-election would set a precedent as the dates were announced within days after the court of disputed returns nullified Mr. Polye’s 2007 election win.

On the Madang and Western Highlands Provincial seats, Commissioner Trawen has already explained that the matters were still before courts and it would be contempt if the Commission went ahead and announced the dates for by-elections.

Mr. Trawen says he is concerned that people do not understand the legal issues and implications concerning court-ordered by-elections, yet they make unsubstantiated media statements that serve no purpose but only cause more confusion.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

06 TH OCTOBER, 2009

*** Mr. Trawen didn't address the questions I raised in my letter. The Western Highlands and Madang Regional seats were declared null and void. Why is it taking too long for by-elections for these seats? It seems to me that Mr. Trawen is a puppet dancing to the tunes played by the National Alliance led government.

If we don't see these regional seats in a by-election soon, we would confirm that Mr. Trawen is not only a puppet but rather a window-dresser at the Electoral Commission office. Mr. Trawen's reactions imply that so long as the National Alliance led regime is at the helm, they can manipulate the laws of Papua New Guinea to suit their hidden agendas.

Is that the scenario you're trying to show the six million people of Papua New Guinea?

Kandep by-election in Southern Highlands Province

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen today announced that he has decided to delay the by-election for the Kandep Open seat by one week.

“The tentative election dates approved by the Governor General which I announced in Mt Hagen two weeks ago are still tentative as such until we (Electoral Commission) are satisfied that all arrangements for the by-election are in order,” Mr. Trawen said.

He says these arrangements include the release of K4.5 million funding by the Treasury department, gazettal of the appointment of three Electoral Commission officials tasked to run the by-election and the movement of necessary logistics such as ballot boxes and ballot papers to Kandep District.

Other arrangements, the Electoral Commission says, need to be in place are the movement of electoral officers who will conduct polling and counting to Kandep and security personnel arrangements to be put in place by the Police Commissioner, Mr. Gari Baki.

Mr. Trawen says until the Commission is satisfied that all these arrangements are in place, the Kandep by-election will proceed. He added that the delay will also allow the Electoral Commission to know the result of the notice of withdrawal of the Supreme Court review application filed by ousted member Don Polye’s lawyers which is scheduled for hearing on Thursday 10 September.

Mr. Trawen says the Electoral Commission has the duty and responsibility under the Constitution to conduct national elections and by-elections in PNG in accordance with the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections.

Section 74 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections clearly states that in case of a by-election, the Head of State acting with and in accordance with the advice of the Electoral Commission, shall as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs, issue his writ for the election of a new member. The revised program for the Kandep Open seat by-election to be sanctioned by Government House is:

Issue of Writs: Thursday 17th September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Nomination Closes: Wednesday 23rd September, 2009 (4:00 pm)

Polling Starts: Monday 16th November, 2009

Polling Ends: Friday 20th November, 2009

Return of Writs on or before: Friday 11th December, 2009

Meanwhile, Mr. Trawen has brushed aside comments by one David Ulg Ketepa in last Thursday’s Post-Courier newspaper viewpoint on the Kandep by-election branding them as mere “false impressions” by an ignorant person who is not up to date with laws and events.

“I did not announce the dates for the Kandep by-election within days…I did so after almost two weeks and after studying the National Court’s decision,” Mr. Trawen said.

Mr. Ketepa claims that the Kandep by-election would set a precedent as the dates were announced within days after the court of disputed returns nullified Mr. Polye’s 2007 election win.

On the Madang and Western Highlands Provincial seats, Commissioner Trawen has already explained that the matters were still before courts and it would be contempt if the Commission went ahead and announced the dates for by-elections.

Mr. Trawen says he is concerned that people do not understand the legal issues and implications concerning court-ordered by-elections, yet they make unsubstantiated media statements that serve no purpose but only cause more confusion.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER

06 TH OCTOBER, 2009

*** Mr. Trawen didn't address the questions I raised in my letter. The Western Highlands and Madang Regional seats were declared null and void. Why is it taking too long for by-elections for these seats? It seems to me that Mr. Trawen is a puppet dancing to the tunes played by the National Alliance led government.

If we don't see these regional seats in a by-election soon, we would confirm that Mr. Trawen is not only a puppet but rather a window-dresser at the Electoral Commission office. Mr. Trawen's reactions imply that so long as the National Alliance led regime is at the helm, they can manipulate the laws of Papua New Guinea to suit their hidden agendas.

Is that the scenario you're trying to show the six million people of Papua New Guinea?