ELECTORAL Commissioner Simon Sinai has expressed gratitude to the Madang Provincial Administration for signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the PNG Electoral Commission. This agreement signifies the administration’s commitment to work alongside the commission in delivering future elections in Madang.
“The objective of the MOU is very clear. Over time, we have conducted elections and recognized the need for partners. These partners are not for just any purpose, but for the singular goal of delivering elections. As you both rightly pointed out, an election cannot be successful or produce results unless we work together—collaborating, coordinating, and delivering,” Sinai said.
He noted that all Electoral Commission staff across the country were privileged to witness the signing of the MOU between the Madang Provincial Administration and the PNGEC. This event was also observed by a core partner in delivering Local Level Government (LLG) elections, the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs.
“This MOU signing is a significant moment for us, witnessed by our staff nationwide. We’ve signed several MOUs with other provincial administrations, both within and beyond the office, and today is another important milestone,” he added.
Mr. Sinai highlighted that the main objective of the MOU is to support the election process, particularly in terms of infrastructure, logistics, and resources available on the ground.
“For the Electoral Commission, we rely on established provincial and LLG systems. When it comes to organizing and coordinating elections, we identified gaps, and provincial administrations play a crucial role in working with us to ensure successful elections,” he said.
The MOU, according to Sinai, will facilitate smoother collaboration between the Madang Election Manager and the commission to deliver next year’s LLG elections, as well as future national elections.
Madang Provincial Administrator Frank Lau emphasized the importance of clear responsibilities for the sub-national or second-tier government in coordinating with the Electoral Commission, rather than operating on an ad-hoc basis.
“We need an MOU that provides a structured way forward, so we avoid incurring costs and expenditures on an ad-hoc basis. This will give us a proper framework and budget, clarifying the responsibilities of both the Electoral Commission and our administration at the sub-national level,” Lau said.
He added that elections are everyone’s business, noting that the process of producing the country’s leaders depends on the collective effort of all parties involved.
Other provinces that have already signed similar MOUs with the Electoral Commission include New Ireland, East New Britain, West New Britain, National Capital District, Central, East Sepik, West Sepik, Madang, Jiwaka, and Southern Highlands.
