Collecting a new box of envelopes from the back of the hall. All the action was livestreamed for the people of Vanuatu, and the world. Photo: VBTC
Transparency International Vanuatu, which observed the recent general election, believes there was illegal activity during the polling and has concerns about the counting process.
Its CEO Willie Tokon is preparing a report with recommendations including changes to the way votes are counted.
"It seems like sometimes the unofficial results are counted by polling stations, when they reach Port Vila and they are recounted, sometimes it's not the same. I don't know how they do the counting," he said.
"One of our recommendations will be that this should be done in a more transparent way, maybe transparency should be present at the counting or better still, maybe it could be done live so that everybody can watch and do their own counting.
"Right now some people, un-officially the numbers are high, when it becomes official the numbers are low. Sometimes, some candidates have low numbers but when they do an official count numbers become high. Maybe it should be more transparent," he said.
Dr Tokon also criticised the last-minute arrival of the 49 international observers for the snap election which took place on October 13.
"I was disappointed because my understanding is a lot of these people don't know Vanuatu, they don't know the people, they don't know the practices."
"There are concerns around illegal donation of roofing irons, water tanks, solar systems and concerns around people collecting voter cards and transporting people to the election booths have been front of mind. It is illegal", he said.
"I don't know if the international observers saw or they knew that is what they were supposed to be looking out for."
He said the observers should have arrived earlier to meet with his team and other stakeholders to help with the observation in Vanuatu before they travelled to the outer islands.
Instead, they worked through Foreign Affairs to arrange to meet with Dr Tokon on the day before the Election Day but left for Tanna early that morning without meeting the team.
Parliament fractured
While the results for the snap election have been released, it's not clear who has come out on top.
The caretaker prime minister and leader of Vanua'aku Pati, Bob Loughman, secured seven seats as did the Union of Moderate Parties which is led by caretaker deputy prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau.
The former opposition leader Ralph Regenvanu's Graon mo Jastis Party had four seats.
The Daily Post reports that there are now two camps attempting to form the new coalition government. It said Loughman is camping at Iririki Resort and Kalsakau, with another group, is camping at Aquana Beach Resort, Eratap.
The paper reports the Aquana camp claimed yesterday that they have the support of 30 elected representatives while the Iririki camp has 22 winning candidates. Thirty is enough to form a government.
The elected representatives are expected to be sworn in next week.
The Office of the Clerk of parliament said that, under standing orders, a first sitting must be called within 21 days after polling day.
A spokesperson for the office, Maxime Banga said at the moment, elected representatives are expected to be summoned to Parliament on November 4, for a session facilitated by the Chief Justice.
After taking the oath and the signing of the roles, there will be two other agenda matters - the election of the speaker and deputy speakers and then the election of the Prime Minister.
Ishmael Kalsakau Photo: RNZ Pacific / Sally Round
