Vabukori village, Ward Councilor/Member – Turaho Morea, has thanked the National Government and the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC) for the commencement of the Biometrics and Photo Roll updating for the Electoral Roll.
The exercise commenced this week on Wednesday 24th June in the Vabukori Local Level Government, Port Moresby city.
Mr. Morea said that it is critical because of past experiences where there were practices of multiple voting and people voting under false pretense. Corrupt practices have always been part of our General Elections and have ruined so many elections in our country.
“The Biometric and the Photo Roll system will help to eliminate such mal and corrupt practices. It acts as a second check and balance mechanism where you’ve got the fingerprints that will identify someone as a legitimate or eligible voter, and then you also have the photo identity that confirms a person. So those are the type of security mechanism that I know will eliminate double voting or pretentious voting,” said Mr. Morea.
Mr. Morea was even more pleased that the Electoral Commission has chosen Vabukori to be the pilot ward in the country, for the Biometric and Photo Roll exercise. He extended his gratitude to the PNG Electoral Commission for trialing, especially the biometric enrollment in Vabukori.
He emphasized that the timing of the biometrics enrollment system is impeccable for Vabukori Local Level Government (LLG) and the Motu-Koita people, especially with the introduction of the newly created Motu-Koita Electorate, which will be part of the upcoming 2027 National General Elections, where Motu-Koita Electorate will be one of the Open Seats contested in the National Capital District (NCD).
“However, if this system is going to be introduced by 2027, great! But I also am aware that under the organic law, such a system has to go through a verified process to be legitimized or legislated in parliament. And if that process is expedited and introduced, where Motu-Koita or NCD in particular is the introduction point of this system, then that will be good,” said Mr. Morea.
According to Mr. Morea, during the dialogues they had with the Department of Provincial & Local Level Affairs and the awareness they had with the Boundaries Commission, the Motu-Koita people call for Biometrics to be introduced at the polls, especially, the 2027 National General Elections. He is pleased that the Electoral Commission has included the photo roll registration as well.
The Vabukori Councilor is now calling on the Motu-Koita people to get themselves registered on the electoral roll through the Biometrics and Photo roll enrollment system, for a free, fair and safe election.
