Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) has warned individuals or groups from taking possession of ID cards that belongs to any eligible voter because its an offence.
In a statement, the chief electoral officer (CEO) Polycarp Haununu appealed to those who have already registered and those who are yet to do so, to refrain from supplying their voter ID cards to others.
“Refrain from giving voter ID cards to individuals or groups that might claim responsibility in keeping other peoples’ cards.”
He said its important for voters to take care of their ID cards and not to give it out to someone else.
“All eligible voters must take responsibility in keeping their own cards.
“If you are eighteen (18) years and above it is your democratic right to take ownership and responsibility in keeping your own card.
“It is an offence for someone else to take possession of your ID cards. Keep your cards in a safe place until election day for you to bring to the polling stations.”
The statement comes following reports claiming that some current Members of Parliament (MP) and intending candidates are buying ID cards from registered voters.
And this has irked the Joint Civil Society Groups & Concerned Citizens (JCSG & CC) who also raised their concern.
In a statement yesterday the group said it is seriously concerned that Solomon Islands is likely to be denied ‘free and fair’ elections this year.
The group’s statement said the new Biometric Voter Registration (BRV) system whilst addressing election malpractices such as double-registration and/or double-voting has significantly increased ‘vote-buying’ and ‘political patronage’.
The interim chairman of JCSG & CC and acting chief executive officer (CEO) of ANSI Mr Barnabas Henson said: “The country’s weak economic situation compounded by corruption has forced eligible voters to substitute their long-term wellbeing for immediate benefits by selling their voter identification cards.
“Hence the newly introduced voter identification card has allegedly become the newest and most highly demanded commodity on the market right now.
The JCSG & CC said its understood that a good majority of registered voters who have registered in Honiara and at the out-of-constituency voter registration centre also in the capital have allegedly ‘sold’ or traded their voter ID cards to MPs and other intending candidates for money, material, school fees, food, gifts, etc.
“There has also been allegations that certain MPs as well as intending candidates have dispatched teams of agents into constituencies supposedly to ‘recruit’ people for registration, offering transport, food, money, and goods in exchange for voter ID cards.”
Mr Henson added: “This is destroying the credibility of the whole election process and essentially denies the nation of ‘free and fair’ elections thereby further destroying our future.
“Furthermore, the practise has significantly increased the cost of contesting elections whereby credible candidates are being denied fair chances of contesting. The situation entails candidates ‘buying’ votes instead of ‘winning’ them.
“Can we say then that this is a free and fair process? Most certainly not, in our view. It is profoundly undemocratic and constitute serious breaches of Solomon Islands laws.”
The Statement added that; “The electoral office must quickly move to mitigate the issue or expect to deal with significant problems during election time.
“As an immediate measure of control, we strongly suggest that the electoral office embark on a mass voter ID card re-call or retrieval exercise to collect and retain ID cards and only have them dispatched to voting centres for verification against voting lists immediately prior to voting day. If this should increase the cost of running the election then it surely will be money well-spent for the benefit the whole nation.
“Otherwise all ‘right-minded’ Solomon Islanders are urged to report incidences of ‘vote-buying’ to the police or the electoral office. It’s high time we correctly exercise our right to influence and determine our nation’s future for the sake of our children,” Mr Henson said.
Meanwhile Mr Haununu reminded all eligible voters to register only once.
He said double registration is a serious offence in this new biometric voter registration system.
“False declaration in filling in the registration form B is an offence punishable by law, so all eligible electors must refrain from doing so.”
This week marks the second week since the start of the voting registration which will run for 40 days.
On Monday in Honiara more people turned up to the Art Gallery and other registration centres to register.
Source: Solomon Star
No comments:
Post a Comment