An intending candidate in this year’s national general election has called for Constituency polling booths to be set up in Honiara.
In a statement last night Mr Sasako said the majority of voters who registered to vote in the Constituency could miss out altogether.
He made the call in light of the financial difficulties being experienced today at every level of society, including the government.
Mr Sasako said the encouraging sign of the full process of democratization in terms of the election that has begun with the introduction of the Biometric Voting System (BVS) and the passage of the Political Parties Integrity Legislation in Parliament this year should continue.
“Establishing Constituency polling booths in Honiara would help complete the process, as it allows Constituency voters to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice without having to travel to the Constituency to do so.
“Authorities know that voter registration by Constituency voters were unprecedentedly high. It would be a sad state of affairs if these people were denied an opportunity to participate fully in the election because they are not able to go back to their Constituencies in order to cast their votes,” Mr Sasako said.
“Furthermore, the massive investment that was made in establishing constituency registration booths in Honiara and other urban centres would be a waste if these voters were denied the opportunity through no fault of their own,” he said.
Mr Sasako said the cost factor alone has driven a wedge between voters and their desire to exercise their democratic rights in participating fully in the election.
“Political parties, government and indeed candidates who are contesting the election as independents are struggling to meet even the bare minimum of the costs associated with contesting the election.
“Their rights as voters are being denied. It is for this and other reasons that I appeal to authorities to help by establishing Constituency Polling Booths in Honiara so that voters can exercise their democratic rights in voting in the election later this year,” Mr Sasako said.
