CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP URGED ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO REGISTER

Interim Chairperson of the JCSG & CC group, Barnabas Henson. Photo: SIBC

The Joint Civil Society and Concerned Citizens Group, is urging all eligible voters to register and participate in the coming general elections.

Interim Chairperson of the group Barnabas Henson said the general election is an important democratic process that must be treated with respect and dignity.

“We know that elections are very important democratic processes in the country and we want to ensure that the process is treated with respect and dignity as well as keeping our integrity as a country.”

Mr Henson adds it is time to warn citizens regarding election malpractice that will harm the election process and create human suffering in Solomon Islands.

He said malpractice as experienced in the past elections has created economic instability and zero development in our constituency.

“Candidates will come around and say yes I will do such and such, like its always me, I will do this for you but in the end it’s the people who always suffer. We can see the effects of such, which is political instability in the country and poverty will always go hand in hand with such practices, there is zero development in the constituencies and people continue to suffer, so these are the effects of such malpractice during elections,” he said.

Mr Henson urges the people especially youths to register and vote.

He said the Joint Civil Society Group plans to reach out to constituencies and educate voters on the issue of candidate selection to improve transparency and accountability in the country.