Electoral Commission goes mobile

Caption: Messages being sent out via mobile phones.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, March 13, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THE Electoral Commission is now using mobile communications to reach voters in preparation for its enrolment exercise around the country.

As part of its awareness rollout and used for the first time, the commission is confident of the reach the approach will have in ensuring it reaches the entire voting population.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said that the decision was made in February to take advantage of the communication reach mobile commination provider Digicel has in the country.

“It is something that we decided on last month, our awareness team looked at different ways to send the message and I approved the initiative,” Commissioner Gamato said.

“We have not formally launched it and we’d like to do that. Is it cost effective, K250,000 considering the 3 million coverage of the population that is worth it within our means.”

“That is the most effective way in reaching the educated population and people in the rural areas that are connected by mobile phone.”

The SMS alerts will alert voters of the movements of electoral teams to various parts of the country when they conduct enrolments updating the electoral roll.

Under the arrangement for five months, a total 7 million messages will be sent to Digicel subscribers, with 5 million through the agreement and an additional 2 million from Digicel as part of community obligation.

Gamato appealed to the public to enrol, adding that even National Identity (NID) card holders are required also to enrol.

“I am appealing to the general public all around the country that even if you have an NID card and your name is not on the electoral roll you cannot vote.”

“You have to register on the electoral roll to come and vote, with the NID card only helping to identify yourself.”

He pointed out that the assumption made that the records with NID automatically sets holders up to vote is not true, however, NID card holder data has been incorporated within the enrolment form.

“What we are doing is that with the new electoral roll we have now allowed for the NID number on the new enrolment form.”

“Let’s say that when you haven’t registered but have a NID card and want to enrol- we will enter your NID number so that it is captured on our database. Enrolling through the electoral roll is by law,” the commissioner said.

Democratic audit already underway

By MATTHEW VARI

 

Sunday, March 13, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THE Registry of Political Parties and Candidates (RPPC) has begun its finding for a democratic audit of the country.

Initiated through the RPPC Registrar, Dr Alphonse Gelu, the audit will include various stakeholders who have initiated research topics to measure the country’s democracy levels.

“In terms of the democratic audit, the audit or assessment of democracy has already started. The stakeholders involved in the assessment are Caritas PNG, the PNG Electoral Commission, Political Science Strand UPNG, National Council of Women, National Research Institute, and the Registry of Political Parties,” Dr Gelu said.

“A briefing with all stakeholders took place in January this year and each team was given 2 questions each to research on and write on them.”

“By the end of March, the teams will meet and compare notes. The questions were all taken from pillar 2 (from the Vision 2050 plan) – representative and accountable government.”

He said that a survey around the country has also begun, with registry staff going out to their local areas to save costs- which is the second such undertaking in 35 years.

“I made the decision to send my staff to their local areas to conduct a survey on the people’s perception of political parties and the candidates.”

“The only survey of such was undertaken back in 1982 by the Political Science Department UPNG. This is the second time that a survey as such is taken in the country.”

“So far the Aroma Coast villages were covered and currently surveys are taking place in Sumkar and Bogia in Madang and Lufa in the Eastern Highlands.”

He added that from their initial reports from Aroma and Lufa, the people have shown keen interest to take part in the survey.

“Many are demanding the Registry to conduct awareness on political parties as many don’t know what roles the parties play in our politics.”

“However the people were told that this is a survey and not an awareness. One of the interesting findings so far is that many people do not know which party their MP is a member of,” the registrar pointed out.

IPPCC swears in new board members

Caption:  (L) Acting Clerk of Parliament Kala Aufa looks on as Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato take his oath of office.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, March 13, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

 

THE Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC) has officially sworn in two of its newest board members on Wednesday this week.

Sworn in by Magistrate Thomas Vogusang, the new board members are the Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato and the Acting Clerk of the National Parliament Kala Aufa.

Officiating at the ceremony, Registrar for Political Parties and Candidates, Dr Alphonse Gelu, said that the new board members would now get the Commission running through the appointment of a Chairman to oversee it and the registry.

“This has been the event we have been waiting for in order for us to get the board moving this year,” Dr Gelu said.

“The board does not have a chairman as yet, because of the vacancy and with the swearing in we will have our first meeting before the end of March to early April where the board will appoint a chairperson.”

“The composition of the board is made up of very important stakeholders that are important to the work of the registry. We have the electoral commissioner, clerk of parliament, national council of women rep, a church rep and the CEO of National Economic Fiscal Commission, including me myself the registrar.”

Gelu added that the organic law gives a lot of powers to the board, and the registry s the administrative arm of the commission.

“I drive most of our programs and at the end of every three months I report to the board to inform them of our activities and the same report I produce is given to the prime minister also and the office of the chief secretary.”

All board members remain for the life of their positions in their respective organisations with changes done when changes are done to their various positions in their own organisations.

Bmobile-Vodafone announces unprecedented free call plans

Caption:   B-V CMO Parag Panjwani demonstrates how to subscribe to the free call plans (pic by Bae Kimali).

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, March 6, 2016 (PNG)

BMOBILE-Vodafone (B-V) has announced new unprecedented free call plans that will see its customers get more value for their money.

The new free call plans will allow subscribers to call between B-V mobile phones for free for fixed periods from 1 week, a fortnight, and even a whole month.

“In PNG we are used to subscribing to buying credit and using them for every minute. Bemobile with the partnership of Vodafone have come up with the offer where once you top up you subscribe to a certain product you can talk for as long as you want without having to worry. Aren’t my credits going to run out?” B-V Chief Marketing Officer Parag Panjwani said.

“All that you have to do is top up your phone with credits, dial *777# look for unlimited talk plans. We have three plans in there within PNG.”

“There is K7 plan for a week that gives you unlimited calls to any Bmobile-Vodafone number, also gives you 10 minutes to other networks, 20 SMS and 20 megabytes (mb) of data. There is another option for K15 for a fortnight (14 days) that gives you unlimited talk time to a Bmobile number, 30 minutes calls to other networks 30 free SMS and 30mb.”

The latest addition to their free call plans is a new unlimited K30 plan where once subscribed will be valid for a month (30 days) with unlimited calls, plus 80mins talks to other networks, 80 SMS and 80mb data.

“This is better value for money considering if you have a rate for K1 per minute, if you 80 minutes you’d have K80 to pay, but with our plan K30 for that same cost to another network plus 80sms 80Mb data,” Panjwani said.

“All you need to do is get all your friends and family to use Bmobile-Vodafone and you can call for as long as you want as many times by just subscribing to it.”

“We have a growing base of customers and with the more number of people coming on board the more the more number of people can be called to use the unlimited bundle.”

He said that the plans are now available for limited offer, as long as customers want it.

“I can assure you is that we are doing is getting Papua New Guineans the best value for their money, and moving forward I can tell you that we have teams of people working behind the scenes asking customers what they want, they track the usage of customers, and how they use their phone, and based on that they put together a plan that is most relevant to the people of PNG.”

To subscribe to these products B-V customers will dial *777#, select unlimited voice plans and select the desired plan, and confirm.

The CMO also confirmed that all free call plans will not auto-subscribe unless customers subscribe to it again.

“We have not put an auto-subscribe so as soon as your bundle expires you will go to the normal rate that you are charged.”

Bawa to follow investigation process

Sunday, February 28, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THE former Port Moresby Superintendent, Anderson Bawa, has given the assurance in light of media report from the NCD Command regarding allegations laid against him, that he will comply.

Mr Bawa pointed out that there was no need for Metropolitan Superintendent and the police to find him as reported in the national adding that at current he was on recreational leave.

“He knows my house, I am a professional police officer and I will follow the law if am accorded the respect and courtesy,” Mr Bawa said.

“I am not a criminal I have not stolen, raped or killed someone to be in hiding and I will follow the process of investigation and challenge the allegations in a court of law.”

“I am not afraid to face justice as the truth will be revealed there and then as it has been in the past. I appeal to the public and the business community that the allegations are fabricated and manufactured.”

He urged the public to remain calm over the allegations having advised his lawyers to defend him in court adding that he is innocent until proven guilty.

“In my time as the Met Supt I have not suppressed any investigation or promote any public brutality as alleged.”

“I have always stood against it and have taken actions against my own officers. I have also returned all arms signed under my name back to the armory as a matter of procedure.”

“I waited for 3 months after my handover take over for my airfares and relocation to my new posting in Mt Hagen. I even mentioned that to Commissioner Baki in his office that I had humbly accepted the posting.”

“As there was nothing positive forthcoming I didnt want to sit around and collect wages for doing nothing so I decided to take my Recreation Leave and am currently on holiday. I also learned that the incumbent now Chief Superintendent Jimmy Onopia had been promoted to the post which would now leave me as unattached upon my resumption,” Bawa said.

He added that if the command was keen on cleaning the force as has been publicized, it should investigate and find out why members in NCD have not been paid to date K5.5 million for the Pre Pacific Games Operations and outstanding allowances.

“100 of my members who only received K3,000 each and the Commissioner promised to pay them the balance of K500,000. They will testify and confirm these if they are really that serious.”