Walter Rodney COI…Friend unaware WPA leader tried to invoke disturbances

May 02, 2014 News

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By Latoya Giles
Reverend Reuben Gilbert, the father of PPPC Parliamentarian Kwame Gilbert, said that he was unaware that his now deceased friend Dr. Walter Rodney was trying to accumulate ammunition and tried to invoke disturbances against the then ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).
Gilbert, who is an Ethiopian Orthodox priest, was at the time being cross-examined by PNC Chairman Attorney at Law Basil Williams at the third hearing of the inquiry into the death of Dr. Rodney.

The 78-year-old Gilbert said that he had “loved and was visited numerously” by Rodney, but denied that he knew what was being planned.  Gilbert, who admitted that he was former member of the Guyana Police Force, said that he was totally unaware of Rodney’s plans against the ruling party.
Gilbert denied being a member of the People’s Progressive Party, even though he had published an article in the Mirror newspaper, which is owned and run by that party. Earlier, the witness had admitted while being led by lawyer for the Commission, Latchmie Rahamat, that he was constantly victimized and was not able to find a job at the instruction of former President Forbes Burnham.
Williams brought out the nexus between the witness going to the then Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan for intervention into the matter and not being a member of the PPP, as well as his articles being published in the Mirror.
“How could you be allowed to write for the party’s newspaper when you aren’t a member?” asked Williams. According to Gilbert, it was the Secretary of the party who asked whether he would write a “piece” for the newspaper.
Williams continued to quiz the witness on whether by writing the article he was throwing his clout at the PNC. Gilbert was adamant that that wasn’t the aim of his piece in the Mirror newspaper.
The witness was asked whether he had a copy of the article which he had written, to which he answered in the negative.
Gilbert was further questioned about Mr. Jagan’s intervention on helping him find a job. “Couldn’t it be said that you had an association with Mr. Jagan because you were either a member or strong supporter of the party?” Williams asked the witness.
Gilbert denied this assertion, and maintained that he was not a party member of the PPP.
Further the witness denied that he would frequent the party headquarters at Robb Street, but admitted that he would go to a book store which was in the lower flat of the building.
Williams then switched his line of questioning towards the link between Gilbert and Rodney. The witness told the Commission that he and Rodney were friends…a friend whom he loved, but he was not a member of his party, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).
Gilbert said that he and Rodney became friends sometime in 1978. Williams asked the witness whether he involved himself with the WPA. Gilbert said that he would attend public meetings.
“I never became a member of the WPA even though Rodney visited my home numerous times,” Gilbert told the Commission. He claimed that the “population” at that time was dreadfully afraid of the Burnham administration.
Williams then questioned Gilbert as to whether he had conducted a “poll” which would help him make such a generalized statement. “No I didn’t conduct a poll…but heard people talking” Gilbert said.  Williams then suggested that he should not say the “population” but rather “some people.”
The witness was then asked whether he was interested in being a part of the government, to which he denied.
Gilbert was further asked whether he knew that the late Walter Rodney was a political activist. “He was active in politics…that’s what I know,” Gilbert stated.
When asked whether he knew that Rodney was trying to infiltrate parts of the government and was trying to recruit people from the Guyana Defence Force, the witness answered in the negative.
Gilbert was then asked whether he knew that Rodney was planning to “hijack” a Guyana Defence Force vehicle.
“Hijack!?….I know nothing about that,” was the witness’s reaction to the question. Williams went on to question Gilbert about whether he knew that Rodney was interested in modifying “walkie-talkies” to which he said no.
“Did Rodney have a conversation with you on taking over the government and preventing the then President Forbes Burnham from leaving Guyana?”
“Never…I had no conversation,” Gilbert said.
The witness was asked whether he knew that Rodney wanted to capture Burnham before he could have escaped Guyana, preventing him from being granted political asylum, and he again answered in the negative.
Williams sought to ask the witness a series of questions about Rodney’s position against the PNC government. The attorney also accused the witness of being selective in his recollection of events which he submitted to the Commission.  Williams will continue to cross examine Gilbert today when the Commission reconvenes.

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