RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL

A CANDIDATE STANDING AGAINST Papua New Guinea’s deputy prime minister, Belden Namah, has dismissed his complaints about the electoral roll.

Mr Namah has criticised prime minister Peter O’Neill and electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen over the poor state of the roll where there have been claims there are many names missing.

Mr Namah said they should have listened to his call for a deferral of elections in order to properly prepare for polling.

The Green Party’s Dorothy Tekwie said if anyone should complain, it’s her and other candidates standing against Mr Namah in Vanimo Green.

“Belden Namah actually is complaining because the people that he has paid, or bought, that he has given money to are not able to vote because they basically are people who are looking for money and are not on the common roll,” Ms Tekwie said.

“He should have done his homework to check that they are on the common roll before he gave them the money.”

Dorothy Tekwie said that while there are issues with delays and voters being unable to vote, overall polling has been satisfactory.