The enrolment team, travelling on the charter vessel Magalut, will provide opportunities for all eligible atoll dwellers to vote in November’s referendum on the political future of Bougainville.

“We now have a small window to quickly get to the atolls where we estimate around 1,000 people may want to enrol to vote,” said chief referendum officer Mauricio Claudio.

“Although the number of expected voters is small compared to the 202,000 enrolled already, we are committed to sparing no effort to ensure that everyone entitled to vote in the referendum is enrolled.

“These are very isolated Bougainville communities, but our motto for the referendum from the start has been to make it as inclusive as humanly possible.”

The team of 12 includes 10 enrolment and awareness officials and two Bougainville police service officers. One group will disembark on Mortlock whilst the second will continue on to enrol people on the Tasman atoll.

“A large number of atoll people now live elsewhere in PNG, so we’ll use this trip to verify that all non-resident Bougainvilleans names are eligible voters,” Mr Claudio said.

“This is not only the first time in Bougainville and national elections that persons have been offered the opportunity to check and challenge inclusion on a preliminary roll, but also the first time that enrolments outside Bougainville have been verified within Bougainville.

“It shows our level of commitment to a quality referendum roll.”