Dear Editor – The Nationwide Election to choose our next parliament members is closing in and the public is yet to be formally informed of when it is going to happen.
While it is the governor general’s legal duty to announce the date for the National Elections it is everybody’s democratic right to be informed of the date for the elections – the earlier the better.
This is important for planning purposes as Christmas holidays are catching up with us.
Families living in town need to plan their traveling arrangements and tighten up their budgets for transport costs and other expenses normally incurred during this peak of the year.
Working people who register to vote at their constituencies cannot go for the elections and then return to work for the remaining weeks before going home again for their Christmas holidays.
This is a very expensive exercise for most of us who live on average wages.
Most students in town schools who registered to vote in their home constituencies these upcoming elections are likely to miss out from participating in the elections.
My question is: Is there any possibility that the electoral commission could arrange for provincial voters living in town to have provincial polling stations here in town to cast their votes rather than going home for the elections which is highly expensive?
If the electoral commission could successfully host provincial registration centres at the Art Gallery for people to register in the hope of voting at their home constituencies then I see no logical reason why they cannot arrange for provincial polling stations here in town.
To me the important thing is to be able to cast a vote.
Being registered but unable to cast a vote for a candidate you support just because you cannot go home for the elections due to transport difficulties and, perhaps, work commitments does not match well with providing registration centres here in town for people to register for the elections.
While this might sound as crying over spilt milk, I believe this is a real concern.
I believe there are people out there with similar concerns but do not have the chance to voice it out. Let’s hear from them!
I’ll leave you here to think about it.
Jimmy Hanson Riunga
Lau Valley 1
