SIEC’s INTEGRITY QUESTIONED

A contestant of last year’s national general elections has questioned the integrity of the Solomon Islands Electoral process.

Allan Siau is disappointed after an incident in which a ballot box for Fataleka Constituency was destroyed during last year’s election.

It was alleged, the box was run over by a vehicle, with its kit box missing since then.

Speaking to SIBC News Mr. Siau questions the country’s Electoral office over its decision to count the damaged ballot box without its kit box.

Mr. Siau who also contested the election in 2010 says a similar case happened in 2010 where a ballot box was burned and not counted.

He says without a clear explanation, the Fataleka people and the rest of the country believe – a bad precedence for the country’s electoral process has been set.

“We want a clear explanation from the Commissioner himself to my people on what is the difference and what is so special about the Baelelea case stop counting and in my Constituency we have two things; the kit box is missing plus the ballot box damaged. The officers themselves have witnessed these and decided that the counting still continues, so that’s my position at the moment and we want clarity because if this continues it will set a very bad precedence.”

SIBC News understands, in 2010 a ballot box belonging to the Lau Baelelea Constituency was set on fire following disagreements over counting procedure.