Chief Election Officer: Database Remains Uncompromised

In an interview with 7 News late this evening, the Chief Elections Officer, Josephine Tamai re-iterated that position and stressed that the Elections Database has not been compromised.

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"We did an initial investigation and I had gotten back one report from one of the officers who conducted that investigation and what I want to assure the public is that the information or the database; there is no way that the voters list could be compromise from Mr. Guerrero being in that office."

"Actually one of the persons who went out to do the investigation check the computer to ensure that nothing has been removed or added along with the record the cards because the sub-office actually takes the application and enter it in the database but when it comes to central office that is re-entered and verified along with the record card. So there is no way that that office could delete or insert anything."

Jim McFadzean
"So you can confirm that there is no breach of on confidential voters information that took place that night that Mr. Guerrero was behind the computer?"

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"Actually the information that Mr. Guerrero would have seen; yes he saw it pre-maturely but that information would still be available to the public."

Jim McFadzean
"Has your office determined yet what Mr. Guerrero was doing in that office after hours?"

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"So far we haven't been able to confirm that, I've written to Mrs. Squires and I gave her up until February 2nd for her to give me a complete detail report because so far I've still not been able to get a detail report from her hence the reason why the request was made for her suspension and we have gotten approval, so currently she is on suspension and that took effect yesterday."

Jim McFadzean
"Did in fact Mrs. Squires breach your department policy on who has access to government equipment?"

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"That's one of the things that the officer breach because in terms of the access to our computers of our information especially for this department, nobody other than herself or other registering officers that we would have to post there from time to time and we have an IT technician here in this department. So she failed because if for any reason the computer was giving any problems she should have inform the office. On that specific date and time this office was open because you know that we are in the process of verifying signatures for the referendum so she could have called the office and inform us. Even to call the supervisor and she failed to do that."

Jim McFadzean
"What is the status of her employment with your department right now?"

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer "Actually she is governed under the public service regulations, so whatever we do have to go to the public services commission for a decision."

On the issue of her office out rightly denying the People's United Party's request to peruse the binders of voters for the Corozal South East Division, Tamai says the opposition is blowing the matter out if proportion. She says the decision to deny access for the specific dates requested had to do with her office's limited resources during 'some very hectic days' leading up to Municipal elections.

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"Actually yesterday we had a little bit over 1,000 new applications for the Corozal office and that's a lot. The three persons there; it's almost difficult for us to have somebody to supervise the perusal of those binders because we could imagine what could happen. I am saying that it will be done but we'll run the risk of having persons removing things from the binders, removing photographs. Those binders are what we used when we have an election. So imagine if we have an election and documents are missing from those binders - we would be in serious trouble and that would be a concern as far as I am concern."

"We anticipate that the workload for the office and the amount of trafficking of persons within the office will decreased by Monday. So we will be able to spare somebody to supervise the perusal of those binders."

Nonetheless, the PUP has filed a 27 page application for Judicial Review of Tamai's actions in the Supreme Court. The party asks the court to order her to reconsider her decision, and to declare her position as unreasonable.

But, as noted in the interview, Tamai has vacated that position. She wrote to the PUP chairman today informing him that the binders will be available for perusal starting on Monday and lasting for one month.

Channel 7

PM: UDP Candidate Severo Guerrero Reprimanded

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I believe him when he said that he was merely trying to assist the registration officer, and was there upon the invitation of the registration officer. So, in fact, the registration herself confirms this. I don't think that from Mr. Guererro's point of view there was anything sinister about his actions. But the appearance stamped to high heaven."

"The appearance was absolutely unacceptable, and we even contemplated requiring Mr. Guerrero to withdraw from the UDP San Pedro ticket, but we weighed everything in the balance. I don't want to be crude or too facetious, but our good friend girl use to have this phrase 'if you are not too old to stoop, I am not too young to peep.' maybe it's not the right analogy but the fact is that the person in authority in that office invited him in."

The Administrator of that Office, Marilee Squires who permitted Guerrero access to the computers has been placed on suspension.

Channel 7

U.D.P. Bad Boys: Witz & Guerrero

At this afternoon’s press conference, the P.M. said he would only take questions about the elections and he spoke about the San Pedro incident in which aspiring U.D.P. Town Council candidate Severo Guerrero was busted inside the Elections and Boundaries Office. The government employee was suspended from her post but nothing has been said of Guerrero’s punishment which should have been meted from his party. The PM was on the cutting edge of the incident in which U.D.P. Cayo South representative Ramon Witz was videoed chopping down a P.U.P. sign. No punishment would go to Witz but Guerrero was penalized.

“A letter of reprimand was sent by the chairman of the party to Mr. Guerrero. I believe him when he says that he was merely trying to assist the registration officer and was there upon the invitation of the registration officer. In fact, the registration officer herself confirms this. So I don’t think that from Mr. Guerrero’s point of view, there was anything sinister about his action. But the appearance stank to high heaven. The appearance was absolutely unacceptable and we even contemplated requiring Mr. Guerrero to withdraw from the U.D.P. San Pedro ticket. But we weighed everything on the balance and man since—I don’t want to be crude or too facetious—but our good friend use to have this phrase; if you noh too old fi stoop, I noh too young fi peep. Maybe that’s not quite the right analogy. But the fact is that the person in authority in that office invited him in. and that person who is a public officer has been punished. So ultimately we thought that the reprimand from the party was enough in the case of Mr. Guerrero. In terms of the chopping incident; now I’m not saying two wrongs make a right and I have already appealed both in the message that I’ve taped and in my earlier remarks for this podium for all of us to exercise restraint and to ensure that we have a peaceful election. But Julius Espat’s people started pulling down U.D.P. flags and the U.D.P. signs along the Western Highway. Ramon Witz got a text at 3 a.m. telling him what was happening and he told our people not to respond. Another incident of that nature took place and our people in fact surrounded those that were making mischief—I put it mildly—with our signs and banners. [They] asked the police to come, but they never responded. And I don’t blame the police—I think the police have more serious things to deal with. But against all that background, you will understand that when Ramon visited Valley of Peace and was told by one of his supporters that the P.U.P. had put up a flag in the yard of that supporter without the supporter’s permission and went inside that yard; the owner of the premises provided Ramon Witz with a machete and said chop down the flag. I no see what wrong with it.”

Channel 5