At Senate, Rodolfo Bol Changes Tune on Passport System
Rodolfo Bol
The Senate Special Select Committee’s public hearing at the National Assembly this morning was truncated due to logistical issues with bringing witnesses to Belmopan. The sole witness to testify is actually a return witness, Rodolfo Bol. He manages the Immigration Department information technology network and was the system manager during the time of the audit report. As the man in charge Bol seemed to be clear in his last visit to the Committee that it was not possible to successfully get the passport system to accept a picture of a picture for the passport. But following contradicting testimony last week from retired Immigration officer Therese Chavarria, Bol returned and was asked if he changed his views.
Rodolfo Bol, Former Systems Manager, Immigration Department
“I was unaware how it was done; I heard about it last week, when she came in; she mentioned about it. Prior to that she came into the office to get a report on one of the [children] I believe, and that was the first time I saw that one; I wasn’t aware of it, to tell you the truth.”
Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select Committee
“So you weren’t aware of these instances – the one with Mr. Robinson and the one with the child?”
Rodolfo Bol
“No.”
Elena Smith
Elena Smith, Senator for Trade Unions
“Since you are now aware that twice, they have used a photo, or a picture of a picture, to create a passport; and the last time you said that if that would be done then the system would be crashed, correct?”
Rodolfo Bol
“I didn’t say that.”
Elena Smith
“It was the other person who said that? Okay; but it was your view then that that was not possible, correct?”
Rodolfo Bol
“I did mention that we tried one…”
Elena Smith
“But it didn’t work?”
Rodolfo Bol
“We were able to capture, but it was dark, so that’s what we did.”
Elena Smith
“But you have a different view on that now?”
Rodolfo Bol
“Depends on what Miss Chavarria did; I wouldn’t know, right – but according to her, it worked.”
Elena Smith
“Do you think that had you had made more attempts at the time with the one that you did, that it could be possible that it worked – because I think Ms. Chavarria said they tried it more than once until they got to the image that was usable?”
Rodolfo Bol
“I wouldn’t know what was happening on the data capture because I don’t oversee that area, so that I don’t know whether there was more attempts or not; because I don’t actually deal with the daily processing of the passports.”
Elena Smith
“Having seen that it has worked before, then would you say that it is possible that it worked probably other times than those times?”
Rodolfo Bol
“Well, possibly.”
Elena Smith
“And so, you would then be able to agree that having seen it done, that it could possibly be done without harming the system?”
Rodolfo Bol
“Well I didn’t physically see it, that is what Ms. Chavarria testifies; but I will have to see how she did it and see what happens; I wouldn’t know what exactly would happen to the system.”
