SEASONAL WORKERS DISAPPOINTED OVER REGISTRATION

Seasonal workers returning from New Zealand are disappointed with the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission, SIEC, for rejecting their request to register to vote after they returned from New Zealand.

Spokesperson for the group, Janet Leboa says they are not happy with the Electoral Commission, saying prior to their departure early this year they were told during an awareness program conducted by the Electoral Office – they are eligible to vote provided they pass their visa and passport details to the responsible authority.

“Upon our return we went straight to the Electoral office because prior to our departure we’ve heard from their awareness that a person has the right to register provided he or she has to produce his or her passport and visa. Over 40 of us went to see the Electoral Office after we return to the country, but only to be told that registration has closed, which is very disappointing.”

Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission strongly denies giving any awareness about such information to Solomon Islanders involved in the New Zealand Workers Scheme.

The SIEC says, it did not give such advice since there is no provision for such cases stated in the law.

It adds the Voter Registration Exercise is done within a specific period of time frame according to the law, saying no one is to register after the registration period is closed.

The statement further says, the registration period for this year’s national general election has closed.