THE cry for change in leadership in the islands of Ulawa and Ugi in Makira/Ulawa Province has been finally answered.
Voters in Ulawa/Ugi constituency made this possible by electing a new Parliament representative during Wednesday’s polls.
The new MP is William Marau.
The need for change was evident in Mr Marau’s cruising victory over the out-going MP James Tora who has served two terms in Parliament.
Mr Marau polled 1,981 votes which is more than half of the 3,345 total registered voters in the constituency who casted their ballot on Wednesday while Mr Tora, who had lost support from his home island of Ugi, managed only 903 votes.
Mr Marau unseated Tora by an impressive 1073 votes.
The third contesting candidate for Ulawa/Ugi Dr Frederick Rohorua won the remaining 461 votes.
Result for the Ulawa/Ugi constituency was the first of the four constituencies in Makira Province to be announced yesterday in Kira Kira followed by the result for Central Makira.
Election Manager at the Makira Electoral Office, Gilbert Tabihau confirmed the province has experienced a good turn-out of voters on polling day in the two constituencies of Ulawa/Ugi and Central Makira where results have already been announced.
“Only a few people did not vote in the two constituencies because some were working as polling stations officials during polling day at other constituencies and some are students who have already left for Honiara while the rest just did not turn up to vote on Wednesday,” Mr Tabihau said.
In Ulawa/Ugi, out of the 3,751 total registered voters, 3345 have casted their ballots while in Central Makira 3,737 out of the total 4226 registered voters voted for their candidate of choice.
Meanwhile, the counting process for East and West Makira constituencies continued overnight.
Mr Tabihau said if three or more ballot boxes is left when they reach a dateline at 6pm yesterday then counting will be suspended until today meaning the remaining election results for Makira/Ulawa province will be known sometimes today.
By PHILIP LILOMO
in Makira
