Vanuatu General Elections

Joe Iati said his team had got through five of the 18 constituencies this week including Torba, Banks and Torres, Port Vila, Luganville and Malo and Aore.

This year's election had seen a lot of setbacks for the electoral commission, from extreme weather delaying polling in the north of the country, to the sudden death of its chairman last week.

But Mr Iati said his team was committed to delivering a result as soon as humanly possible.

The principal electoral officer, Joe Iati, accompanied the body of the late chairman to his home island on Wednesday.

Mr Iati said that the last lot of ballot boxes from the north of the country arrived in Port Vila this morning.

But he said the Electoral Act required two members of the commission and the chairperson to be present before the official count could begin.

Mr Iati said a new chair could be appointed this week but even so official election results would not be ready until next week.

The RVS Tukoro patrol boat will transport the ballot papers for Tongoa, Shepherds Islands, Epi, Paama, Ambrym, Pentecost and Torres, this weekend.

Ballot papers for polling stations on Ambae, Maewo, Santo, Malo, Aore and Malekula, will be airfreighted.

Political campaigns end at 12 midnight on Monday, 16 March 2020.

This gives two clear days, before polling on Thursday, 19 March 2020.