Chief Elections Officer’s Residence Under Police Watch

Josephine Tamai

On Thursday, News Five sat down for an extended interview with Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai. She’s been under intense scrutiny in the days leading up to general elections set for next Wednesday. The pressure is mounting, as the Opposition People’s United Party has issued Tamai with an ultimatum – full access to the proxy lists or legal action. If that weren’t enough, Tamai has been accused of proxy-related shenanigans in Cayo. There’s a lot on her plate…not the least of which are alleged threats. Tamai’s home in Belmopan is currently being guarded by police around the clock, and she told us why that has become necessary.

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer

“I will tell you, and like what I’ve said, we have a lot of political mischief being made out there. At one point a week or so ago I actually felt threatened and my family has been threatened. The only thing I can say and will say at this point is that whoever is creating whatever they’re trying to create, they need to desist from that. Because as a public officer I have a job to do and I will continue to do my job. I won’t get into much details because of security issues and like I said issues with my family, but I found it very alarming when I had masked men showing up at my house…one with a ski mask and one with a stocking pulled over his head. It makes you wonder…the door was not closed so persons knew that somebody was at home at the time. I will tell you, before I even got home I was receiving calls to find out if it was true that I was kidnapped by masked men. Now for me I keep wondering…before I even got home, how could that information be out there? Obviously something was planned by somebody. I will tell you…people find different ways, and I don’t know if they want for me to be distracted, but I will tell you…I have a focus, I have a job to do and I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability, regardless of what. Whatever persons are thinking out there, I cannot say. I really don’t know what it is. But I can tell you that it’s all just political mischief as far as I’m concerned.”