PPC furious over Walium power outage

The ongoing power outage at Walium, the district headquarters of Usino/Bundi, has sparked concern from police as polling for the by-election continues.

Provincial Police Commander [PPC], Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, said he is considering a formal request to the Provincial Election Steering Committee to relocate the counting of votes to Madang Town, citing Walium’s prolonged power issues.

“Walium has been without electricity for seven months,” PPC Baim said.

“If we want a smooth and secure counting process, it must be conducted where there is constant power supply.”

Ballot boxes are currently being stored at the Walium Police Station in a locked container, with the station relying on a standby generator.

PPC Baim said the generator is insufficient to support the demands of vote counting, which is expected to begin after the completion of the 14-day polling period.

He stressed the importance of delivering a successful by-election to the people of Usino, Bundi, and Gama, without disruption or delays caused by logistical setbacks.

However, Provincial Election Manager Sponsa Navi confirmed last week that the decision to conduct counting at Walium is aimed at reducing costs.

The Madang Provincial Government has allocated K1.5 million for the Usino-Bundi by-election, with K500,000 designated for security operations.