Electoral act ineffective: Wale

Honourable Matthew Cooper Wale. Photo credit: Solomon Islands Parliament.

Cross-border registration is proving the ineffectiveness of the new electoral Act, The Electoral Act 2018.

This was the view of the Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga Constituency Hon. Matthew Wale.

“Anecdotal information suggests that it is pursued by candidates who fear their electorates, and so want to dilute their electorates votes by others coming elsewhere who are not familiar with the issues in that particular constituency,” he said.

“This has happen so soon  after we passed the electoral law, it shows the inadequacies in the provisions inside that law.”

Hon. Wale, therefore, called for a tough measure to be pursued by the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission on intending candidates who had made their influence on the issue as this would be catastrophic for the country’s future.

“There should be punitive measures against any candidate who is encouraging cross border transfers to dilute his or her own constituency’s electorates,” he said.

“Because this will result in the diversion of constituency resources and may result in social conflicts, it cannot be good for our country as it cannot be good for our people.”

By: Fred Osifelo. 

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