Salai Van Ki Yo — Ward and village administrators have been making up for funding shortfalls out of their own pockets as the 30,000 kyats provided by the government for polling officials isn’t enough.
“We will do whatever is necessary using the budget given by the government to pay 3,000 kyats per day to the polling station guards. Members of the Ward and Village Election Commission will pay when it is necessary. I would like it if the government would provide sufficient financial support to the polling stations,” said U Sai Ko Ko, secretary of Indaikone Ward Election Sub-Commission for Kalay Township.
To run polling stations it costs an estimated of 70,000 kyats; this includes stationary, meals for polling station officials and the electricity needed to count ballots, according to U Tin Shwe Kyi, administrator for Indaikone Ward.
“Thirty-thousand isn’t enough. Members of the Ward and Village Election Sub-Commission will cover the necessary costs,” said U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, administrator of Nanchaung Village; an area in Sagaing Division badly affected by recent flooding.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
