Political Parties get funding form Registry Office

This year saw 10 Political Parties receive funding totaling K820, 000 from the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC). The funding was presented to the executives of the parties by the Chairperson of the IPPCC, Dr Orovu Sepoe along with the Registrar of Political Parties Dr. Alphonse Gelu on the 6^th of October 2016 during the 3^rd Learning and Development Training Workshop for Executives of Political Parties at the Registry of Political Parties Office.

These 10 parties have qualified for funding after meeting the requirements of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (OLIPPAC).

The funding for political parties is for the purpose of funding to political parties as per the OLIPPAC only after they (parties) submit their annual financial returns by March 31^st in each year and only when the Commission is satisfied with the information contained in the party’s financial statements. These funds are appropriated for in the National Budget for each year and a calculated by way of K10, 000 per Member of Parliament

	Party	Funding
1	People’s National Congress Party	K520,000
2.	National Alliance Party	K110,000
3.	People’s Progress Party	K60,000
4.	People’s Party	K40,000
5.	New Generation Party	K20,000
6.	PANGU Party	K20,000
7.	People’s Democratic Party	K20,000
8.	Stars Alliance Party	K10,000
9.	Melanesia Liberal Party	K10,000
10.	PNG Party	K10,000
	TOTAL:	K820,000

A total of 18 political were eligible for funding, however three parties-Christian Democratic Party, Melanesian Alliance Party and United Resources Party did not qualify for funding. This is as a result of the three parties whose members have just joined the party. As stipulated under Section 85 of the Organic Law; a member of a political party must be with the Party for a period of 6 months or more to be qualified for funding. Members that join the party and are with the party for less than 6 months will not be eligible for funding

Three Parties did not submit their financial report; they are People’s United Assembly; Peoples Movement for change and Social Democratic Party This is stipulated under section 86 of the OLIPPAC

Two Parties were late submitting their financial returns; they are Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party and United Resources Party.

Submission of financial returns by all Political Parties is a requirement under Section 88 of the Organic Law; this also applies to Political Parties with no representative in Parliament.