Political Parties allowed to carry out awareness prior to issuing of writs

“Political parties are allowed to carry out early awareness prior to the issues of writs and this is not the same thing as early campaigning by individual candidates.”

That was the clarification by the Registrar of the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission Dr Alphonse Gelu.
Dr Gelu said when individual candidates do this then this can be deemed as illegal early campaigning however, political parties need to go out and do awareness and educate the public about their policies and what they stand for.

“One challenge that political parties are faced with which is educating voters to elect political parties and not vote for candidates because it is that party that will then make Parliament.”
“Another challenge is funding to conduct these awareness campaigns in every region needed.”
At present there are 37 registered political parties and 7 more still going through the process of registrations so that by the time writs are issued, there could be 44 or more parties.
Dr Gelu added that it is not beneficial at this time for political parties to come only a few months before the issue of writs.

“As such, we are discouraging this because people in the public, the voters do not know as yet what the party stands for.” PNGFM/PNG Today