IMPROPER CONDUCT OF OFFICIALS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED: KARAVAKI

(May 11th, 2006 No. 79)

The improper conduct of election and polling officials who do not comply with the procedures in the Electoral Act and the Instructions handbook for Presiding Officers, Returning Officers and so forth will not be tolerated by Office of the Supervisor of Elections.

Supervisor of Elections, Semesa Karavaki yesterday revealed at a media briefing that he is concerned with conduct of some polling officials who are not following proper procedures.

As such he said, a Presiding Officer in Lau was left on Vanuabalavu on the first day of polling to find his own way back to Suva after he refused to accompany polling clerks to the island of Mago and instead decided to stay on board the ship they were travelling in.

“You see in Lau on the first day of polling one presiding officer was removed and he was over there in Lau to find his own way back to Suva. You see that is exactly the kind of action that will be taken against this kind of presiding officers who are not complying with the rule of Law.”

Mr Karavaki said he is in control and that any misconduct by polling officials or election officials will not be tolerated. Returning Officers at the four divisions, he said were being updated daily by Presiding Officers through the Provisional Administrators (PA) office.

The Supervisor also said he is concerned with the conduct of some Presiding Officers who are not giving access to the media at the polling stations.

And on allegations made against him on the conduct of polling, Mr Karavaki said that people should realize that the Returning Officers (Commissioners) in the four divisions are now looking after the operations, while he is acting as an adviser from his office.

“When the elections time and the polling time comes the Supervisor of Elections basically assumes the role of an adviser. The operation is taken over by the Returning Officers. In fact I talked to you in the beginning how difficult it is to change,” he said.

Meanwhile, the first three days of polling (Saturday, Monday & Tuesday) has seen 99,113 people casting their votes as at 11am yesterday.

Mr Karavaki said the provisional voter turnout for Saturday was 31,526, for Monday 22,346 and 106 from the 223 polling stations as at midday on Tuesday.

He also said the numbers are provisional as voter turnout from many polling stations in the rural and remote areas of the country are still coming in.

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