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.