By DALCY LULUA
PRIME Minister James Marape says the government may advise against holding by-elections for recently vacated seats due to the high cost and the proximity of the next national election.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Marape said the process of conducting by-elections is entirely the responsibility of the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission and the acting Electoral Commissioner Mrs Margaret Vagi, stressing that the executive government does not directly influence the decision.
However, he pointed out that the country is now about 13 months away from the issuing of writs for the 2027 Papua New Guinea National General Election. Under the law, by-elections cannot be conducted within 12 months of the return of writs for the next general election.
“That means we are only about four or five months away from that period, around July or August this year,” Marape said.
The Prime Minister said the government is also mindful of the significant cost involved in conducting by-elections,
noting that the country currently does not have the estimated K100 million required to fund them.
“I want to say on record, we have no K100 million in this year’s budget to facilitate these by-elections,” he said.
Marape told Parliament he has asked the Minister for Administrative Services Richard Masere to examine whether it is necessary to proceed with by-elections at this time or whether those resources should instead be directed toward preparations for the 2027 national poll.
He said K70 million has already been allocated in this year’s budget to assist early preparations for the next general election.
The Prime Minister also noted that interim leadership arrangements are already in place in the affected areas, including the Telefomin District and Morobe Province.
According to Marape, Morobe currently has a governor in office while the regional seat remains vacant, and leadership in Telefomin District is also being carried out through existing local government structures.
“We would rather save our energy, save our resources and plan well for the big election that is coming,” he said.
Despite this, Marape reiterated that the final decision on whether by-elections are conducted remains with the Electoral Commission.
“We are subject to the independent process that the Electoral Commission is custodian of,” he told Parliament.