Papua New Guinea’s preparation for the 2022 National Election as reported in the country's national media in recent weeks are regrettable, and are not supposed to happen. Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea continues to face the anomalies in each election in recent years.

Papua New Guinea’s preparation for the 2022 National Election reported in the national media in recent weeks are regrettable. They are not supposed to happen. Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea (ECPNG) continues to face the anomalies in each election in recent decades.

The preparedness of the ECPNG supposed to be well-financed and supported by the National Government. The entire successful delivery of a national election rises and falls on the preparedness of the ECPNG that supposed to be well-funded by the National Government. There should not be any excuses by this constitutional office of government about certain anomalies existing while the nation prepares and looks forward to a well-run national election.

After a national election is concluded, the ECPNG has almost five years to prepare for the next one. This is ample time for each election round. The ECPNG should not be made to give excuses for certain aspects of its preparations not up to its expectations or requirement.

Every election is followed by reviews and reports about what happened and what did not happen and the reasons why certain things went wrong. These reports provide recommendations for improvement in the next national election. With such reports and from the ECPNG’s own observations and management of a national election, there is evidence and reason for the National Government to allocate the right amounts of money in ample time before the next national election so the ECPNG does its work with ease and on schedule so as to deliver a far better election.

The National Government through the ECPNG has ample time to prepare, but it is not always prepared in full; there is always something not complete or not available. From non-readiness of the Common Roll to inadequate funding for security operations, there is always something amiss when we approach a national election. It is not different in the current 2022 National Election as well.

For a lay person, this is annoying and inexcusable. As the largest and leading nation among the Pacific Islands nations, with a growing economy, our national election supposed to be a very serious business.

But from the anomalies that confront the ECPNG at each national election, we can say, the government does not take seriously this important aspect of our democracy and existence as a nation.

We can also question who gets to benefit from an election with many anomalies and that eventually dictates the election outcomes. Some in our communities claim those in authority try to manipulate the election process by allowing some of the anomalies to exist or even creating them. For example, poorly prepared or problematic Common Roll and controversial selection of electoral officials that are aligned with a sitting Member of Parliament. Members of the public in the electorates raise red flags when noticing alleged biased appointment of election officials whether they be assistant returning officers, returning officers or provincial election managers. Often those in authority tend to down-play the claims rather than take the protests to heart and investigate the apprehensions that may arise because of an official’s connection with a sitting MP.

The honourable thing for ECPNG is to take a neutral stand as it should be, and attend to the claims of an election official’s personal connection with a sitting MP. The claims of bias, it always associated with the serving MP that is put on the spotlight as someone behind the appointment of an election official in the electorate.

Thus far, the claims of the appointment of election officials with personal connections with sitting MPs in certain electorates has never been fully addressed. I hope this is not the case in the 2022 National Election – the ECPNG should take the claims seriously and appointment people that are neutral.

The problems associated with our national elections are varied and many in different electorates across PNG. One of the underlying factors in this regard is the very strong desire of candidates (inclusive of sitting MPs) who want to ‘win’ and enter Parliament at every cost. We often hear many stories of the tempering of ballot papers and ballot boxes and manipulation of voting and counting processes. Often these are associated with the candidates and supporters.

Supporters are among the main persons that end up causing problems. Already we are reading on the social media and other platforms that people are foreseeing a failed or problematic election in some parts of the country.

We must hope these do not escalate into further breakdown in law and order that undermines the processes and outcomes of the 2022 National Election.

Given the anomalies within ECPNG and legion of election problems, some of our citizens have from time to time suggested to National Government to a president style of system so people have a direct say in the political head of the country.

Others have proposed more funding to the ECPNG ahead of time.

Still some more citizens have suggested over the years that the Government of PNG appointment experts from developed democracies in the Commonwealth so as to instill professionalism and neutral performance by the officials.

These citizens have at times called for the appointment of an expatriate as the Chief Electoral Commissioner as the government’s national appointees are deemed as pro-government in office.

They have also suggested the appointment of an expat from the Commonwealth nations to be the Police Commissioner. This is so that professionalism is instilled in the ECPNG and the electorates and within the police force when an election is to be conducted.

My take home message is this: Parliament is a very important institution. The MPs must be fit and proper persons that are identified and elected by the electorate in election process that is very professional and not subservient to those in authority at the time of an election.

Finally, the government through the appropriate support of the ECPNG must be prevent all manner anomalies creep into the process of electing MPs who in turn go on to vote for the Prime Minister and then form the government. There should not be any excuses of anomalies in our national election that comes out every five years.