PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill encourages voters to register in ID program

Candidates for the 2017 general elections have been encouraged to register their people to participate in the election voting process.
Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill said only those who have been registered under the national identification registration program will be eligible to cast their votes.
"The days when candidates take their own list to Port Moresby to register in the common roll are over," he said.
Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill said there had been abuse and election fraud in past elections and also a lot of election results ended up in prolonged court disputes. The Prime Minister, who is also responsible for the Electoral Commission, said it would be in every candidate’s interest to ensure their potential voters were registered. "When you want to vote they will ask for ID card.
"This national identification program will affect our lives, so we encourage you to register and vote in 2017.” He said no other person would use someone else’s name to cast their vote like in past elections.
"You, candidate, must encourage your voters to go and register, do not wait and think that you will go and give your own list.
"These kinds of lists are now over and done with. A lot of times we take our own list to Port Moresby and pay people to register voters."
He said intending candidates must register themselves and their voters, for example, in Mendi, where the national identification program was launched on Monday.