BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
MEMBER of Parliament (MP) for North East Guadalcanal Hon Dr. Derek Sikua believe the cross border registration for voting reported occurring is a direct result of the amendment recently passed, broadening the definition of ‘ordinary residence’.
When Island Sun asked Hon Dr Sikua yesterday in an interview over whether he was aware of current reports circulating that cross border registration in Constituencies has been going on which included reports from within his own Constituency, the MP for North East Guadalcanal did not deny such reports.
“Yes I have heard of the cross border registration for voting and indeed it is happening too in my Constituency at Northeast Guadalcanal as a lot of people have been going as well to register at East Honiara, Central Guadalcanal, North Guadalcanal and some Constituencies outside of Guadalcanal Province,” said Sikua.
“I think that is a direct result of the amendment that we had just passed that broadens the definition of ‘ordinary residence’.
“During the past, the definition of ‘ordinary residence’ had it that one must reside in a particular Constituency for six months or more.
“Now that we have broadened the definition to also include where one has a genealogical connection relating to families or tribes, or if one works or owns a property in a particular Constituency as such, this opens up people coming under resulting in this cross border registration and of cause cross border voting.
“It does concern me but I guess it is our democratic right. And, the thing is that people must register and people must vote and who one vote’s for is their own choice of democratic right as only those things are important.”
