SIR ALLAN CALLED ON ALL VOTERS TO RE-REGISTER

Chairman of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission Sir Allan Kemakeza at the launch. Photo: Courtesy of GCU

Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Sir Allan Kemakeza has called on voters in the country to re-register during the upcoming Biometric Voters Registration program.

Speaking at the official launching of the registration program in Honiara yesterday, Sir Allan said voting is a fundamental right but people must register before they can vote.

“As most of you are aware voting is the fundamental right given to all those who achieved the age of 18 and above in Solomon Islands. However, in order to vote it is first necessary to register. No one can vote without being registered. It is no use to support a candidate if you’re not registered.”

Sir Allan adds the current list has become inaccurate and out of date and people must re-register to get rid of it, along with people who recently turned 18 years old.

“The reason for re-registration is that over the years the current list of the electors has become inaccurate and out-of-date. For instance, it currently contains multiple entries of exact same names or sometimes ghost names and sometimes the people who already died and their names still appear in the roll, or some people are underage to register, and because of that my office has to update these rolls by creating new ones,” said Sir Kemakeza.

The Biometric Voters Registration program officially begins throughout the country on March 10 – which is next Monday.