Voters in Vanuatu go to the polls today to elect a new parliament for a 4-year term.
But as Don Wiseman reports from Port Vila, it's difficult to predict the result.
"The 125,000 electors, will choose 52 MP's from 17 constituents, the unpredictability comes, because of the record no of candidates, 260, and the record 68 independants.There are also several new parties, the expectation is, there will be new faces in parliament. Campaigning finished on tuesday night, ahead of the may day holiday.Election day has also been declared a holiday.The 2 day ban on the sale of liquor has also been put in place.To clamp down on electoral fraud, 12 observers will be watching polling booths in Efate, Tanna, and Santo islands, while police will also be present in those stations.And in a further effort to ensure one person one vote, each of those will have his or her thumb stained with ink that will take 6months to wash off. In Port villa, for Radio NewZealand International, this is Don Wiseman."
