BY-ELECTION PREPS 90-PERCENT COMPLETE

Ninety percent of preparations and operations activities for the upcoming elections for Central Honiara and North East Guadalcanal consistencies is now completed.

Chief Electoral Officer Mrs Jane Waitara said in an exclusive interview with SIBC News.

“All activities are on scheduled as planned; the legal aspect of the election and administrative preparation has all been followed. Training of poll and counting officials are on scheduled for both consistencies with all preparations on training resources and venues being prepared.”

Thirty-seven polling stations are set for North East Guadalcanal and twenty polling stations set for Central Honiara.

One pre-poll station will be made available to each constituency and is set to take place on the 16th of this month.

Pre-polling for Central Honiara will be held at the St Banabas Cathedral while pre-polling for Northeast Guadalcanal will be held at Balasuna Bible Centre.

Based on the 2019 data, the electoral office is expecting a big turnout of voters on polling day.

“Central Honiara constituency is one of the biggest constituencies in the country with a higher voter population of 15,989 registered voters and North East Guadalcanal Constituency has a voter population of 5168 thus we expect a big turn out by voters,” Mrs Waitara said.

Seven observer groups and 59 individual observers will participate in the upcoming election next week.

The national by-election is set to take place on the 18th of this month.

By Sharon Nanau