By JAYLINE AKENA SOALILI, UPNG Journalism Student
THREE new initiatives aimed at strengthening the governance and accountability of political parties and candidates in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were launched during the Political Party Expo at Sir John Guise Stadium on Friday, September 11.
The initiatives include a new logo for the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates, a Code of Conduct for Political Parties, and the Chronicle of Registered Political Parties.
The project was initiated by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates and officially launched by Minister for Administrative Services Richard Masere on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape, who was absent from the event.
Registrar of Political Parties Emmanuel Pok said the launch marked a new direction for the office as it prepares for the 2027 National General Election.
“We graduate from the 50th year and go into the 51st year with a new face, new logo, new attitude and new behaviour into the 2027 elections,” Mr Pok said.
He said the new logo represents a fresh identity for the office and forms part of efforts to build public confidence and trust ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mr Pok also said the new Code of Conduct sets out standards and responsibilities for all registered political parties, with the aim of promoting transparency, accountability and discipline.
Minister Masere, representing the Prime Minister, also launched the Chronicle of Registered Political Parties, a project documenting the history and development of political parties in PNG.
Mr Pok said the Chronicle project consists of three publications designed to reach different audiences.
“The project has branched into three very important publications. The first one is the monograph. We’ve also summarised a magazine for fast readers. For people who don’t want to read, we have a TV documentary series, documenting the history of political parties in this country,” he said.
With the 2027 National Election approaching, the launch signals the Office of the Registrar’s commitment to strengthening democratic governance in Papua New Guinea.
By documenting the history of political parties, establishing clear standards of conduct and introducing a new public identity, the reforms are intended to promote greater accountability among political parties and strengthen their relationship with the people they serve.