BY JAYNE SAFIHAO
During the one-day Madang Urban poll yesterday, businessman Peter Yama was turned away because he had no name on the roll.
A very disappointed Yama walked to the LBC polling site, a ten-minutes walk from his house, with his family and supporters only to be told, “nem blo yu no stap” (your name is not here).
Smack in the middle of the road with perspiration coming down his face and chest and surrounded by people, Mr Yama said, “I and my family have been voting 35 years here.”
“How come my name is not here? What about the rest of the people who have no names? I am trying to become their leader, and if they can’t vote, than I’d rather stay with them until they are allowed”
“It’s our constitutional right.”
Mr Yama said that this was the only one time in five years, and if they were denied, he would have to seek alternative options “that may jeopardise the entire election throughout the country”.
Voting in ward one, which is the central business district, was temporarily suspended after polling officials realised that non-residents turned up to vote.
Residents are usually owners of business houses there, but there were no foreigners in the queue yesterday.