Polling materials undistributed

FAK FAK, Irian Jaya: The June 7 polls are 11 days away but balloting materials -- such as ballot papers, stamps and ink, ballot counting forms -- have yet to reach election organizers in eight districts, an official said here on Wednesday.

"Since the stamps have not yet arrived, the regional elections committee is still keeping the ballot papers at the sociopolitical office here," according to the committee's administration office head, Said.

He also mentioned the possibility of a delay in the sending of documents to districts due to geographical constraints.

Four of the eight districts are difficult to access, he said. They are the districts of Kaimana, Arguni, Buruway and Teluk Etna.

The only district that can be reached by plane is Kaimana.

"But how can we rely on the plane? A Twin Otter run by Merpati (airlines) flies to Fak Fak from Sorong once a week. And the same plane flies to Kaimana from Fak Fak once a week on the same day," he said.

"There are only 11 days remaining but not all of the necessary materials are here," he fretted.

Said said an option would be to charter a plane, but the committee did not have the budget for such a purpose.

The same budget problem has also delayed the sending of balloting materials to districts in Yapen Waropen regency.

Three out of eight districts there have yet to receive the needed documents, according local elections committee official Alex Kiriweno. (34)