The recount for the Chimbu regional seat in Papua New Guinea's 2017 election has again hit a snag.
After a series of delays, the court-ordered recount finally got underway yesterday (Sunday) in Goroka but was suspended later in the day.
As soon as it started, the recount for the election of Chimbu's Governor, ran into problems.
PNG's Electoral Commission forced a suspension because the assistant national court registrar, and a lawyer from the commission who needed to be there were absent.
This comes amid disputes among some candidates about scrutineers, and an issue raised by the incumbent governor Michael Dua's team about three ballot bloxes alleged to have gone missing.
Earlier, the recount was moved from Chimbu's provincial capital Kundiawa to the Eastern Highlands capital because of fears that violence might break out between supporters of Mr Dua and the successful election petitioner Noah Kool.