Pre-poll today ahead of Wednesday by-election

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

PRE-POLLING for certain citizens who will not be available for voting on Wednesday this week is on today.

One pre-poll station will be made available to each constituency.

Pre-polling for Central Honiara will be held at the St Barnabas Cathedral while pre-polling for Northeast Guadalcanal will be held at Balasuna Bible Centre.

All campaign trails will wrap up tomorrow as North East Guadalcanal and Central Honiara Constituencies go to the polls on Wednesday, November 18 to elect their members of parliament.

A total of 14 candidates are vying for a seat in this week’s by-election for Central Honiara and North East Guadalcanal constituencies.

A concerned Central Honiara voter told Island Sun yesterday that some voters are still in tight race among candidates as by-election looms in the City.

“Most people reside in Honiara are now battling to win the minds of voters.

“There Ten candidates have been nominated and registered to contest the Central Honiara Constituency while four (4) for the North East Guadalcanal constituency.Only 14 candidates have been nominated for the two Constituencies by-election.

“Voters must look for the right leader or person that will lead both constituencies to share the concern of people in the parliament,” he said.

Meanwhile, 37 polling stations are set for North East Guadalcanal and 20 polling stations for Central Honiara.

Based on the 2019 data, the electoral office is expecting a big turnout of voters on polling day.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Mrs Jane Waitara, Central Honiara constituency is one of the biggest constituencies in the country with a higher voter population of 15,989 registered voters and North East Guadalcanal Constituency has a voter population of 5,168.

Seven observer groups and 59 individual observers will participate in the election this week.

Two former prime ministers are also in the political race for the top spot since the ousting of the former Members of Parliament (MPs) for the two constituencies.

The 10 candidates for Central Honiara include three females and seven males. For N/East Guadalcanal one female and three males.

Female candidates for Central Honiara include Pauline Radoe Firisua, Rose Annie Anilabata, and Jennifer Fugui. All are contesting as Independent Candidates. 

The male candidates for Central Honiara include runners up of the last election- Alfred Efona, Gordon Darcy Lilo, Joseph Douglas, Michael Tofu Saru, Frank Aote’e, Frank Sade Bilaupaine and Barnabas Bosokuru Henson.

Efona was the runner up of the last election behind John Moffat Fugui and will be contesting under the Solomon Islands United Party (UP) whilst Lilo is contesting under Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement, Aote’e with People First party, and the other four are independent.

For North East Guadalcanal, a runner up of the last election Derek Sikua is contesting under the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP), whilst Mr Tavali under United Party.

Both Mr. Norua and the only female candidate Mrs. Ethel Lency are contesting as Independent.

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