Millions of 'ghost voters' haunt PNG elections

SYDNEY - Papua New Guinea electoral officials have discovered that almost half of the country's 4.9 million registered voters are "ghost voters" and do not exist.

A review of electoral rolls revealed 2.2 million "ghost voters" in the South Pacific island nation where black magic and sorcery, along with political corruption, thrive.

The survey by the election commission, ahead of elections next year, found many voters had died or moved villages in the jungle-clad mountainous country and not notified authorities. But there were also many bogus names on the rolls, officials said.

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen said PNG's electoral roll was useless and the country would urgently compile a new voter list ahead of the election in 2007.

"The statistics are frightening and show that the electoral roll does not truly represent eligible voters. We have a lot more people on the roll than eligible voters," Trawen said in a statement received on Friday.

Election officials found 155,475 eligible voters in the highlands provinces of Chimbu, but there were 429,524 people on the rolls -- 176 per cent over enrolment.

The number of people on the voter list in the Eastern Highlands was found to be 142 per cent more than the actual number of eligible voters and in the Enga province, the figure was 130 per cent.

Most of PNG's 5.1 million people live a subsistence lifestyle in the jungle highlands, where tribal warfare, sorcery and crime are rife. To be elected to parliament is a guarantee of a better life in the capital Port Moresby.

Elections in PNG have been marred by violence and corruption.

Armed political gangs hijacked the 2002 election in the mountainous interior, killing opponents and destroying ballots boxes, forcing the election commission to declare six seats null and void and reducing the size of parliament to 103 seats.

Corruption watchdog Transparency International says PNG has established a robust democracy and strong government since independence 30 years ago, but it is plagued by corruption.

Trawen said the electoral commission would introduce measures to reduce fraud, such as move from the first-past-the-post elections to preferential voting and reduce the size of voting areas up to a maximum of 2,000 people.

"As we mature, our people will fully grasp the important need for a trouble and corruption free election," said Trawen.

- REUTERS