Polls in remote islands in doubt

Polls in remote islands in doubt

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The participation of thousands of people in isolated islands is in doubt because of an absence of transportation to carry vital ballot materials, Antara reported on Thursday.

As of Thursday, ballot sheets, ballot boxes, ink and ballot counting forms were yet to be sent to Asera, Waworete and Laonti subdistrict islands.

Abdul Kadir, chairman of the Kendari regency elections committee, said the government had no funds to ship the ballot materials to the islands.

A committee proposal that the provincial governor lend one of its helicopters to fly the materials to the islands was rejected by the governor on the grounds that the choppers were "too small".

The residential area of Asera is so isolated it can be reached only after four days journeying on foot from the quay. The island is inhabited by several thousand people. Waworete and Laonti have a combined population of more than 10,000 people.

At present, transportation to the islands is even more difficult as small boats risk capsizing in hazardous sea conditions.

Kadir said the elections committee had asked the navy to help ship the ballot materials to the islands, but that there had been no response to the request.