The Member for Nipa Kutubu and Minister for Defence Dr. Billy Joseph today said the prolonged delay in polling for the current LLG elections and related problems happening at the District headquarter in Nipa is not a result of the alleged discrepancies in the common roll as claimed by SHP Governor William Powi.
“It is a pity the constitutional rights of the people of the newly created Upper Nipa LLG and certain wards of the Nipa Basin LLG to vote and elect their ward councillors in the current LLG elections continue to be denied and held at hostage by certain individuals with vested political interests,” Dr. Billy said.
The Member for Nipa Kutubu said the breakdown of law and order in Nipa District is due to the Provincial Administration under Governor Powi and the Provincial Police Commander (PPC) of SHP compromising on their constitutional responsibilities by not effectively supporting the work of the Electoral Commission officials to conduct the LLG elections.
“Its serious a constitutional process set into motion by law is allowed to be sabotaged by mobs and thugs under the watchful eyes of the agencies who should be protecting the process to complete,” Dr. Billy said.
The Minister raised concerns that the Provincial Administration officials and Police in Mendi were apparently operating at the behest of someone and driving the political agendas of certain individuals by entertaining them to protest with their mobs and thugs at Nipa Station. He said he has reached out to the Commissioner of Police and other relevant authorities to ensure the conduct of individuals in this mayhem come under scrutiny.
“A formal police complain has been laid with the Commissioner of Police at the Police HQ in Konedobu and this requires police to call up the perpetrators and ring leaders to be arrested,” Minister Joseph said.
He said the problems in Nipa now are caused by ingenuine people who are hellbent on defying the lawful instruction of the Electoral Commission to fail the LLG election. He urged the PPC Mendi to act on the reports submitted to his office and do his job of arresting the thugs and their ring leaders to ensure the 2025 LLG elections come to a successful conclusion.
He concluded that the 2025 rolls update was a constitutional process fulfilled by the Electoral Commission and any matters arising out of this process must be addressed and corrected through the same process or the courts and not by luring the young and vulnerable people to go out on the streets applying illegal tactics.