– former GECOM IT manager admits in court
(Kaieteur News) – New revelations surrounding the handling and security of Statements of Poll (SOPs) during Guyana’s contentious 2020 General and Regional Elections emerged in court, as former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology Manager Anneal Giddings faced cross-examination.
Testifying before Magistrate Faith McGusty, Giddings admitted under oath that 19 persons handled Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield’s SOPs before they were finally delivered to him, while disclosing gaps in written authorisation and server security protocols.
Anneal Giddings
Under questioning by defence attorney Eusi Anderson, Giddings detailed the multi-layered chain of custody that preceded Lowenfield taking possession of the official records. Among those who interacted with the documents prior to their ultimate delivery were People’s Progressive Party (PPP) commissioners. To oversee the processing of the SOPs before Lowenfield’s access, Giddings acknowledged that he personally handpicked a specialised team. When pressed on the makeup of this self-selected group, Giddings confirmed that five of the seven team members were Indo-Guyanese.
The cross-examination also exposed security vulnerabilities regarding the digital server housing electoral data. Giddings admitted to sharing the server’s password with two colleagues, Paul Persaud and Khalid Baksh. He further testified that Persaud knew and agreed to him transporting the server inside his personal vehicle.
Defence counsel pushed Giddings on the potential risk of physical tampering or data contamination while the server was in the vehicle, raising the point that a spare key existed that could grant access to the car. While Giddings insisted that no contamination occurred because the spare key remained untouched at his residence, the admission highlighted potential lapses in strict security procedures during a pivotal electoral period.
Court proceedings further uncovered administrative irregularities surrounding Giddings’ physical access to sensitive materials. Giddings conceded that he spent four hours inside a room with the server containing the SOPs alongside Paul Persaud on instructions from CEO Keith Lowenfield, despite explicit orders from Deputy Chief Election Officer Roxanne Myers to leave the room.
When questioned directly about his authorisation to remain with the SOPs for that four-hour period, Giddings admitted that he held no written approval, nor had he received oral authorisation from GECOM Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh. While acknowledging the lack of authorisation from the commission’s chair, Giddings reiterated that he was following the direct verbal orders of the CEO.
The trial before Magistrate McGusty continues today.
Source: Kaieteur News
