-Will Malaita go to the provincial election today?
-Reports of no ballot papers for some wards
By Alfred Sasako
THE Malaita Provincial Election would go ahead today despite conflicting reports last night that ballot papers for the Province were not ready.
This seems to be confirmed by one report that ballot papers for Malaita Outer Island Polling Stations left Honiara by boat yesterday afternoon. The ballot papers are due to arrive there this morning.
Attempts to contact authorities to verify the conflicting reports were unsuccessful.
Island Sun last night sent emails to the Chairman of the Malaita Provincial Elections, Max Lua, and Coordinator, Robert Dolaelasi to confirm whether or not the provincial elections would go ahead.
None responded by the time Island Sun went to bed last night.
Earlier reports which swept through Honiara late afternoon yesterday said there was a delay in getting the ballot papers to Auki before they were distributed to the polling stations.
Those familiar with the work said the sheer logistics involved suggests that if the ballot papers were not ready, the election may have to be postponed. This however could not be independently verified.
It was not clear whether the printing company which was awarded the contract received the documents in good time. Island Sun last night searched the 2018 Telephone Directory and Google for the company but it was not listed.
