Overseas observers will report to government after elections, says Pita Vuki

The  Commonwealth Observer Group which is in Tonga to monitor tomorrow’s election will report what they see during the elections to the government, the  Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki said.

The report could include anything including any suspected irregularities, Vuki said.

He said all the work for the election process had been completed under the leadership of the Election Commission office.

Vuki said work his office did during July to try to register more voters in Tongatapu had been interrupted by the sudden dissolution of parliament.

He said at the last election voter turnout was 79 percent but they were trying to increase that number.

According to the law 24 hours before the election day all posters and any material that tended to promote candidates must be pulled down, he said.

“The spirit of the law is to give voters time to rest their minds from the challenges of the campaigns and that they will not be disturbed by candidates in that particular time,” Vuki told Kaniva News.

The Commonwealth Observer Group was invited to observe the elections by the Tongan government.

As Kaniva News reported earlier this week, observers from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the US Embassy in Suva will also be watching the election.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said the ‘Akilisi Pohiva caretaker government would continue in its role until the new Prime Minister is elected.

Tu’i’onetoa said after the election tomorrow King Tupou VI would appoint an interim Speaker of Parliament.

That person would be responsible for the process of handing over power from the care taker government to the new government, he said.

Polling booths will open at 9am and close at 4pm tomorrow.

The main points

  • The Commonwealth Observer Group which is in Tonga to monitor tomorrow’s election will report what they see during the elections to the government, the  Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki said.
  • The report could include anything including any suspected irregularities, Vuki said.
  • He said all the work for the election process had been completed under the leadership of the Election Commission office.
  • Vuki said work his office did during July to try to register more voters in Tongatapu had been interrupted by the sudden dissolution of parliament.

For more information  

Elections crucial, Commonwealth head says as observer team readies for Thursday’s poll

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