Earlier in the week, we gave you in depth coverage of the PUP's challenge to the March 2018 Municipal Elections in San Pedro. The PUP 7 of that island town is hoping that the Chief Justice will declare those elections void, and that new elections would be called.
As we told you, the PUP is complaining specifically about the manner in which the officials of the Elections and Boundaries Department carried out the election. They say that there were major discrepancies, which calls the result into question.
The two Elections and Boundaries officials being sued in this election petition are Catherine Cumberbatch, who was acting as the returning officer in San Pedro on that day, and Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai.
You'll remember that in the interviews on Monday evening, PUP Attorney Eamon Courtenay questioned Tamai's handling of the San Pedro Ballots.
But, the Chief Elections Officer told us today that the PUP's have it all wrong, and they've been running away with it in the general public. She agreed to an interview with us this evening to clear her reputation and conduct, which are being called into question. For context, we start first with what PUP's Eamon Courtenay had to say about her on Monday:
Reporter
"When it comes to Chief Election Officer handling of the ballots and taking it to her office, is that proper? Is that correct?"
Eamon Courtenay, SC - Attorney for the PUP 7
"I think the regulations are very clear once those ballots have been counted the presiding officer should seal the envelopes hand them to returning officer in seal envelopes and the law is very clear that it should not be opened until and if they are brought to court by an order of the court and we have the chief elections officer by her own mouth saying that she opened them and she counted them. We have now no confidence as to where those ballots are, the status of them whether they are all accounted for and that is an issue which we will be addressing with the chief justice."
But, the Chief Elections Officer asserts that she didn't break any of the regulations and the laws which govern her role as the lead referee in electoral politics in Belize. Here's her response to the allegation:
Josephine Tamai - Chief Elections Officer
"I'm very reluctant to comment on an issue that is currently before the courts, but nonetheless I must let the public know that the information that is being circulated in the media in terms of myself Josephine Tamai as the chief elections officer counting ballots after San Pedro elections is totally false. It's a lie. I have never opened any envelope to count any ballots that were used in the San Pedro elections and I just want the persons to know that because like I said you keep hearing different side of the stories and I believe that I must clear my name. I have been the chief elections officer for some time now and I have conducted several elections and I know what is my duty and what is my role and I also want for the public know that the law does give the authority for the chief elections officer to have custody of those ballots. So again, if persons believe that the chief elections officer should not have any custody of those ballots the law gives the chief elections officer to keep those in safe custody."
The case is scheduled to continue on May 28, and we'll be there to tell you what happens next with this petition.
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