James Apa Gumuno
PORT MORESBY (The National / Pacific Media Watch): The media has been banned from covering counting for the Hagen Central open electorate in Western Highlands province.
Returning officer Gordon Wimb, while addressing the counting officials, presiding officers and scrutineers yesterday afternoon at the Kimininga police barracks, said the media was not allowed to enter the counting room.
Wimb said the media would report on the progressive results of the counting after two days of each counting, when they would be posted on the Electoral Commission website.
He said the media would not get results directly from the counting room and report on the same day.
Wimb said the decision was made by the provincial election steering committee.
The announcement caught media personnel at the counting venue by surprise. Many said it was their duty to report and inform the public about the progress of counting and what was happening in the counting room.
They said the returning officer or the provincial election steering committee should not stop them from disseminating information to the public.
A member of the provincial election steering committee, however, denied knowledge of the media ban decision. He told The National yesterday afternoon he wasn’t sure where the returning officer got the directive from.
Meanwhile, the counting for Mul-Baiyer open electorate started at around 4.30pm yesterday. Counting for Tambul-Nebilyer was suspended because there was no stationery and proper identification cards for the counting officials.
Counting for all the four open seats and regional seat would start today.
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Pacific Media Watch
