Giddings Testimony Rocks 2020 Election Trial-No Written Authorisation, Four Hours With SOPs

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are renewing their claim that the March 2020 General and Regional Elections were manipulated, pointing to testimony by former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology Manager Aneal Giddings concerning his handling of Statements of Poll during the disputed tabulation process.

In a statement issued following Giddings’ evidence on September 28, the opposition parties said his testimony had raised serious questions about the custody and handling of electoral documents at the Ashmin’s Building, where Region Four votes were being tabulated.

Giddings acknowledged under cross-examination that he had no written authorisation to remain with the Statements of Poll (SOPs) for approximately four hours after the tabulation process was halted. He testified, however, that then Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield had verbally authorised him to remain with the documents.