BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — OFFICIALS at the Electoral Office in St. Kitts have confirmed that its computer system was breached and remains under investigation.
In a media statement issued through the St. Kitts Information Service, the Electoral Office said, “The Office of the Supervisor of Elections advises the general public that it has been discovered that a person or persons were accessing the computer systems of the Electoral Office located on Central Street, Basseterre, by remote online means without authorisation. Initial investigations suggest this has been taking place over the last few months.”
The statement explained that once the unauthorised activity was detected, “the Information Technology Department was immediately engaged and has since discontinued and disabled the unauthorised remote access.” It added that “the Supervisor of Elections has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident and has contacted the White Collar Crime Unit of the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force for support.”
However, when contacted for comment, the Police Force stated, “We haven’t received such a report.”
Despite the breach, preliminary assessments conducted by the Electoral Office indicate that there was no compromise, alteration, or corruption of the Registers or Lists of Voters. Officials noted, however, that the individual or individuals who gained unauthorised access appear to have been extracting the electoral list and related information.
The Office said it is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness and is taking all necessary steps to safeguard the integrity of the electoral system and its data. It further warned that action will be taken to the full extent of the law to bring those responsible to justice, stating that “no stone will be left unturned.”
The Office urged members of the public, political parties, and organisations to respect the legal framework governing electoral information and to rely only on officially published lists issued in accordance with the Act.
Meanwhile, several questions remain unanswered, including whether anyone has been placed on leave or suspended pending the investigation; who has responsibility for the system; whether the remote access system was recently installed or predated the breach; how the unauthorised access was discovered; what new safeguards will be implemented; and what evidence suggests the activity had been ongoing for months.
