THE RODNEY INQUIRY SHOULD SCHEDULE HEARINGS IN LONDON, TORONTO AND NEW YORK.

May 01, 2014 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The Commission of Inquiry into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney has commenced in Georgetown. Evidence is being led by witnesses who are attempting to recall events that took place more than thirty years ago.

Thirty-four years is a very long time. Some of the lawyers who are part of inquiry process were not even born at the time of Rodney’s death. Many persons who would have been knowledgeable about what took place have either passed on to the Great Beyond or are no longer living in Guyana.

Many of them in fact were forced to leave Guyana because of their assessment of the political climate at the time and the possible threats to their lives. Almost all of the headteachers, for example, who were transferred in those days because of what they believed were political reasons are no longer in Guyana. They have moved on and moved out of Guyana.

Many persons left Guyana because of their experience during that period. Many left subsequently for other reasons to live overseas. They are not likely to volunteer to return for the Commission of Inquiry.

In the ensuing years since Rodney’s death, hundreds of thousands of Guyanese have migrated including highly placed security officials who would have had knowledge about the activities of the Working People’s Alliance, the surveillance to which they may have been subjected to and also information about Gregory Smith who has admitted publicly to having delivered the instrument that exploded in the lap of Rodney.

It would be extremely regrettable if those persons would not be able to give testimony before the Commission of Inquiry because of the fact that they are now resident overseas. For one, certain senior former police officials who were intensely familiar with what took place during that period now reside overseas. They should at least be afforded the opportunity to see whether they will come forward and offer whatever information they can offer. They are colleagues of Rodney who will also have information that they may wish to share with the Commission.

While it is true that they can from where they are send in statements, it would be extremely helpful if the Commissioners can try to reach out to these persons by implementing measures that would at least allow them to give testimony from where they are. There are persons who were active in the WPA and the security services who may be willing to give evidence but who may not be inclined to travel to Guyana because of personal and financial reasons.

A special effort should be made to reach out to these persons because of the fact that there may not be many persons alive in Guyana who can present a full picture of what took place during that period and those who are still around may struggle to clearly recall what took place.

The technology is there to allow for persons overseas to offer evidence from abroad. Guyanese living in the United States, in England and in Canada should be asked to submit their statements and through the use of Skype and other means, hearings can be arranged whereby they can be led in their testimonies and cross examined from here in Guyana. The same things can happen for persons from the Caribbean who may wish to give evidence before the Commission.

The Caribbean Court of Justice undertakes hearings via video-conferencing with witnesses and their attorneys in one country and the judges sitting in Trinidad and Tobago. The same can happen in the case of the Commission of Inquiry into the death of Walter Rodney.

It would do no harm to at least see whether there will be persons who will be willing to give evidence from the Caribbean, Europe and North America via video conferencing. The COI has already shown some flexibility in terms of the evidence that it is allowing and there is no reason why it should not try to invite persons from the Diaspora to be part of this important inquiry which aims to determine just what led to the death of Dr. Walter Rodney.