19 Jul 2012

PNG's new Hela Province the third to declare election results

7:28 pm on 19 July 2012

The newly created Hela province is the third province in Papua New Guinea to have completed vote counting in the general election.

The leader of the People's United Assembly Party, Anderson Agiru, has become Hela's inaugural Governor.

Mr Agiru is the former Governor of Southern Highlands province from which Hela was formally separated prior to the election.

Three major parties scored wins in the other Hela seats.

The PNG Party's Francis Potape won the Komo-Magarima Open electorate.

Koroba-Lake Kopiago Open was retained by Philip Undialu of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment party.

Another incumbent, James Marape of the People's National Congress retained the Tari Open seat.

The other provinces to have completed counting are Manus, with new MPs in both seats, and New Ireland where the People's Progress Party of Govenor Sir Julius Chan has won all seats.