Dear Editor – In December 2017 the Electoral Commission has launched a voters’ registration exercise for the Choiseul and Western provinces.
There were registration officers being recruited and engaged to conduct the registration.
However, the exercise has caught many of the rural people by surprise.
This is because there was no prior awareness or consultation.
And because of this, not many people have registered to vote during the provincial election.
Most of the voters expressed there should be proper information being given to the villagers and communities.
Even-though there was awareness being conducted via the radio, print media and the social media, many of the rural people have no access to such medium of information.
Its important for electoral officers to visit the communities or write letters to the village elders and chiefs to inform them about the exercise.
Because of this, I have heard rumours both the provincial governments (Choi&West) want to see the registration being conducted again.
And this might cost the government. However, this is to allow everyone to register.
In the meantime lets wait for the Ministry of Provincial Government to make a decision on this.
Ken Soni Jnr
Western province
