By GEORGINA MICHAEL
THE Special Parliamentary Committee has stepped up pressure on key government agencies to demonstrate their preparedness for the 2027 National General Elections, with concerns raised over planning, funding and the absence of two senior officials.
The Committee held a hearing on Wednesday at the State Function Room to assess the readiness of government agencies involved in the delivery and security of the elections, just seven months before voters go to the polls.
Chairman Hon. Allan Bird said the hearing was intended to establish whether responsible agencies were adequately prepared and properly funded for the elections.
“The main reason I called this meeting is to find out about your election readiness, and to make sure these institutions mentioned above are funded adequately and have you election-ready before the elections next year,” Mr Bird said.
The hearing was attended by Police Commissioner David Manning, PNG Defence Force Commander Rear Admiral Philip Polewara and Treasury First Assistant Secretary for the Budget Division Hans Matgis.
However, the Electoral Commissioner and the Secretary for the Department of Finance were absent.
Mr Bird said the Committee’s hearings were also aimed at keeping the public, prospective candidates and their supporters informed about the level of preparations being undertaken for the 2027 elections.
Deputy Chairman Sir Puka Temu said planning and financing were critical, particularly with only seven months remaining before the elections.
“Election preparedness in terms of planning and financing is critical for the country given that we have seven months prior to the elections next year,” Sir Puka said.
He referred to an earlier warning by Commissioner Manning that inadequate planning could seriously undermine the election process.
“If this year’s elections are not planned properly, it could possibly result in one of the worst elections held in history,” Sir Puka quoted Commissioner Manning as saying.
Sir Puka said proper planning and effective financing of the planning phase were among the 79 recommendations made by the Special Parliamentary Committee to strengthen preparations for the 2027 elections.
He acknowledged that valuable time in the critical planning period had already been lost but commended the National Government for allocating additional funding for the elections through the supplementary budget. En