Walter Rodney COI …Ex-policeman to testify about personal assignment to infiltrate WPA

Apr 29, 2014 News

By Latoya Giles
A former policeman who is expected to be a witness in the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry is slated to testify about his arrest and detention at Special Branch headquarters and that he was required to report directly to former senior officers including the now deceased Commissioner Laurie Lewis, Crime Chief Cecil “Skip” Roberts and Norman Mc Lean.
Lead lawyer for the Commission, Attorney Glen Hanoman made the disclosure yesterday at the commencement of the Inquiry. According to Hanoman, the identity of the officer would not be revealed.
He explained that the witness is expected to talk about his connection with Walter Rodney, Gregory Smith, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine and two other persons known as “Brezhnev and Chico”.
It is expected too that the witness will speak directly about being a member of a Special Squad in the police force.
Moreso, the witness is expected to speak about his personal assignment to infiltrate the WPA and to carry out acts of ploy and assassination.
Meanwhile, Chairman for the Commission Sir Richard Cheltenham said yesterday that they consider the Inquiry important and that the public should take part.
Cheltenham said that the hearings were not court room-like trials and evidence in keeping with the established Terms of Reference (TOR) will be accepted in seeking to arrive at the truth. He also made the point of persons not having to fear prosecution.
It was noted that the Commission of Inquiry Act gives the power to subpoena witnesses and to have persons who disregard the Commission’s subpoena cited for contempt, adding that this is a power which it hopes never to exercise.
Witch Hunt….
Meanwhile, APNU’s Chairman, Attorney at law Basil Williams said that number four of the Terms of Reference which seeks to examine and report on the actions and activities of the state and whether it carried out actions against the political opposition during 1978 to 1980, is like a witch hunting exercise.
Williams said that even though they had said that they would not work with the Commission, and send people to give evidence, “we are here to represent the interest of the Party.”
Williams, along with APNU members Joseph Harmon and James Bond would head the legal team for that Party.
Williams said that he was concerned about the reputation of many which he said is on the line. He said the PNC will be looking closely to see how the COI regulates this flexibility.
During the hearings it is expected that an unnamed officer of the Guyana Defence Force would come forward to give evidence. This evidence would be about the movement of arms and ammunition out of the Guyana Defence Force and the movement of aircraft.
Roman Catholic priest Malcolm Rodrigues, former WPA activist, Karen De Souza and Reverend Kwame Gilbert are all witnesses likely to testify during this week. Rodney died following an explosion in 1980.
After his assassination, Rodney received several honours. In 1993, the Government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan posthumously gave him the country’s highest national award, the Order of Excellence and the Walter Rodney Chair in History was established at the University of Guyana.
Rodney had traveled widely and became very well known internationally as an activist, scholar and formidable orator. He taught at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania during the period 1966-67 and later in Jamaica at his alma mater UWI Mona. He was sharply critical of the middle class for its role in the post-independence Caribbean.

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Walter Rodney COI …Ex-policeman to testify about personal assignment to infiltrate WPA

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