After Walking Six Hours, Couple is Told They Are Too Late to Re-register

A total of sixteen thousand, six hundred and seventy applications were accepted by the Elections and Boundaries Department as part of the first week of the mass re-registration exercise. That figure does not include the applications of Alberto Coc and his wife. On Sunday, July seventh, Coc and his wife walked for three hours from their home in Graham Creek to Crique Sarco, which is about sixty miles away, with the intention to re-registration. They arrived at the center at four o’clock but as Coc explained they were told that they were too late. The couple had to walk back home without fulfilling their day’s goal.

Alberto Coc, Graham Creek Resident

“I reach four o’clock, so I went back again. I left there four thirty and I reached my house seven o’clock.”

Reporter

“So they did not register you?” So you walked all the way?”

Alberto Coc

“Yes.”

Reporter

“You walked Six hours? Going and coming? When you got there they told you that the thing was closed?”

Alberto Coc

“Yes. It was closed. So Ms. Tamai said I will pay the trip to go to town so the Crique Sarco bus, paid the trip so it came in yesterday. So I told my village to come all in town yesterday to do the re-registration.”

Channel 5