BY LIONEL TAORAO
THE first group of registered voters for Ulawa Island residing in Honiara arrived last night on MV. Airi for the joint elections next week.
Many voters who will be casting their votes on Ulawa in the Makira/Ulawa Province in Honiara in the past few days have been having difficulties making their way back home to participate in the joint elections as the only ship servicing the Ulawa and Ugi constituencies, LC. Loko Iola, owned by the Ulawa and Ugi constituencies, is still at Avi Avi shipway for repairs and maintenance after encountering mechanical problems during its last voyage.
Many registered voters in the Ulawa/Ugi constituency are still in Honiara, awaiting any first available transport to travel back to their constituency for the elections.
Reports say that eligible registered voters residing in the western province have already arrived in Honiara in recent days and are awaiting any first available ship arranged to travel to Ulawa and Ugi for the elections.
It was understood that some candidates are still making arrangements to transport voters in the coming days before the polling day.
Ulawa and Ugi constituency has a total of 4,564 registered voters, of whom 2,341 are male and 2,223 are female. These voters will be casting their votes in this year’s joint elections next week.
A total of nine candidates are contesting for the parliamentary seat, looking forward to ousting the former Member of Parliament, Willie Bradford Marau, who is also seeking his third term in Parliament, while a total of 30 candidates will be contesting the four wards in the Ulawa and Ugi constituency.
