FIFTY candidates have been nominated as of Wednesday this week to contest the 2019 National General Elections.
The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) Chief Electoral Officer, Mose Saitala confirmed this at a press conference this week.
He said that the figure is not up to their expectations given that its now less than a week in terms of the deadline.
The nomination period will end next Wednesday, 20th February.
Mr Saitala said the 50 is just a 12% of the total candidates, just over 400 candidates who have contested the 2014 elections and is far short of what is expected.
“By now as we are half way through, we expect to have around 50% already, which should be around 200 candidates,” he added.
He said it is for that reason that the commission has to consider further additional nomination centres to be stationed at the provincial headquarters including Honiara.
Saitala said the current figure at hand represents only 50% of the total candidates expected from around the country.
He said at the moment, Malaita Province has topped the list of 19 candidates with its Outer Islands constituency leading with six candidates.
Honiara is seconded with nine candidates, followed by Guadalcanal province with six, Makira five, Isabel and Central each with four and Choiseul with three.
Saitala said the commission understands the reason for this is the current bad weather which hinders most intending candidates to reach their constituencies to file their nominations.
He said most of the candidates are still stranded in Honiara as reported by their Political Parties.
The SIEC CEO added that they expect more than that but because of the bad weather, most of the intending candidates are yet to be registered.
Meanwhile Temotu, Renbel and Western province as of 13th February have yet to report any of their nominations by their returning officers.
Its understood the number will increase in the coming days once the weather improves.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
