Registration Officers Receives Pay

Solomon Islands, Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Polycarp Haununu, yesterday confirmed that government funds required for paying registration officials have reached the account of the Electoral Commission.

"On Tuesday, an additional $3 million was received from the government to continue current registration fieldwork," Mr Haununu said.

"These funds have been immediately transferred to each province for payment of registration officials and other logistics required continuing fieldwork which is nearing the end of the 60 day period."

Since 25 January registration officials have been travelling house to house to remove names from the old 2006 list where that person had died or moved away, and register new voters under the theme of one name and one place only.

Mr Haununu assured both registration officials and the public that the Electoral Commission was working hard to keep to the registration timetable, but had experienced many difficulties in conducting the nationwide exercise because of the recent bad weather, logistics and the shortage of government funds.

"All provinces are beginning to send in completed forms and we are now working to update the old voters' list ahead of the revision period."

Mr Haununu congratulated those registration officials who have shown a full commitment to the call to make a better voters' list for Election Day and urged them to quickly reach remaining areas that are yet to see a registration official.

"We must make sure that the process runs smoothly so that every Solomon Islander 18 years or older can be registered with one name and in one place so that they can vote one time only on Election Day."

Voter registration is the important first part of elections where a list is made of people who can vote in the upcoming election and takes off the names of people who no longer reside in that area or have died.

The Chief Electoral Officer thanked registration officials for their patience in receiving their payments and urged them to play their part so that people are registered for the coming national general election.


Source: Press Release, Solomon Islands Electoral Commission