IS it lawful for Members of Parliament and intending candidates to charter ships to carry their voters to their respective constituencies for registration?
This was the question president of Mala-MOI High Council of Chiefs Knoxly Atu wanted answered by responsible authorities.
Speaking to Solomon Star Auki Mr Atu said he is asking this question after witnessing the number of ships chartered by Members of Parliament and intending candidates arriving into Auki this week with people for registration.
He said the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission need to explain to the public if such action is legal.
He said from his understanding, candidates should only charter ships after the campaign period was declared and not during registration.
At the same time, he said there is only a certain amount of money which MPs or intending candidates can spend during their campaign period.
However, he said currently some sitting MPs are now spending huge money to mobilize voters by chartering ships, hiring trucks and providing meals for their supporters during the registration period.
“The way sitting MPs are spending huge money to mobilize voters by chartering ships, hiring trucks and providing meals for their supporters during the registration period is overwhelming.
“The public must document these activities and whatever they see and deemed as illegal because that could be useful when petitioning candidates who act outside the law and went on to win the election,” Mr Atu said.
Meanwhile another Malaita man Silas Ramo has also questioned if the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission is able to monitor cross-border registration following the surge in arrivals at the sea ports in Malaita Province since the start of registration.
Mr Ramo said on Tuesday this week, a large number of people from Honiara arrived into Auki and were seen waiting for an arranged transport to take them to their respective constituency to register.
Malaita man Silas Ramo said the law should seriously monitor such movement to avoid cross-border registration which was one of the issues experienced in the 2018 biometric registration.
“It is also not fair for Honiara based residents to come over to the provinces to register for their candidates,” Mr Ramo said.
He then called on community leaders to watch out for those people who have never been to Malaita and who arrived at the registration centres to register.
“In fact anyone who spends most of his time living in Honiara should not be allowed to come and register in Malaita,” a concerned Mr Ramo said.
By WILSON SAENI & SOLOMON LOFANA
Auki
