By ESWIN PLESIO- UPNG Journalism student
PRIME Minister James Marape has pledged to update electoral system for fairer elections with improved voting process to ensure transparency and integrity.
PM Marape stressed on the importance of the electoral reform that must give a better voting platform as well as the administration of count of votes so that the people of Papua New Guinea’s wishes would be translated into the result of the ballots.
“If the electronic voting is not taking place, then it will probably be in 2023 but certainly, a better form of ID than just a use of common role as an ID would be introduced in 2027,” Marape said.
He added that the Minister for Administrative Services and Constitutional Offices will assist in shepherding through reform work including electoral updates that will link to the census that will be taking place and the ID-based voting at the earliest proposed for 2027.
These measures aim to address issues such as short voting time, overcrowding at polling locations and voter confusion, potentially improving the voting experience for the public.
“Tidying and clearing a better electoral platform in 2027 is our number one interest in which the government view it as a fundamental gift to our nation, post- 2025 50th anniversary,” Marape said.
