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Rodney COI likely to continue throughout 2015 – Lead Attorney
– At least twenty more witnesses to testify
Millions of dollars will most likely be expended to facilitate the continuation of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into
The late Dr. Walter Rodney
the death of Dr. Walter Rodney, which is scheduled to resume in January 2015.
Lead Counsel of the Commission, Glenn Hanoman, in an invited comment, stated that at least twenty other witnesses are yet to be called upon to give evidence.
Dr. Rodney, a scholar, social activist and founder of Working People Alliance (WPA) was killed in an explosion on June 13, 1980. Following his death, there was speculation that the killing was set up by the then Prime Minister and leader of the People National Congress (PNC), Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.
It was after almost three decades, the COI, which was requested by the close relatives and associates of the late Guyanese politician and Historian, was launched.
At its commencement in February, last, it was noted that the public probe was set up to determine the facts and circumstances which led to Rodney’s demise. The Commission was also convened to determine who or what was responsible for the explosion that killed him.
The Walter Rodney COI was initially scheduled to last for four months with $112M allocated for the duration.
Last October, Government’s Chief Spokesperson, Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that an additional $60M would likely be utilized on the Commission; the amount was estimated to last until January, since according to Government’s calculation, the Commission spends about $20M a month.
The sixth cycle of the public investigation into the assassination of Dr. Rodney ended last Friday after a series of witnesses including Dr. Rodney’s widow, Dr. Patricia Rodney, Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul and Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Justice Charles Rishi Ramson, were called upon to testify. That session lasted for a total of three weeks.
Many persons, especially members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are contending that the Government, instead of allocating unlimited financial resources to the Walter Rodney COI, should put the money towards initiatives that will better benefit the people of Guyana.
However, the Lead Attorney noted, that while a COI is a costly exercise, which will likely last longer than anticipated, the inquiry is related to the death of a “special son of the soil,” and the events which took place during a period, many Guyanese hope would never reoccur.
Hanoman explained that while some persons are “obvious witnesses,” and are sought out and invited to give evidence at the Commission based on their affiliation and involvement with Dr. Rodney, other persons are invited to provide statements to the Commission and will be allowed to testify based on those statements.
He explained that based on the number of witnesses still to appear before the commission, the exercise is likely to continue throughout the upcoming year.
Earlier this year, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) had called on Government to ensure that the Walter Rodney COI honoured its September deadline, warning that it will not support additional funding should the Commission be prolonged.
The COI was initially scheduled to last four months, following its February commencement date; however, President Donald Ramotar, upon whose instructions the Inquiry was established, extended the deadline to September 30, last.
Last month, Dr Luncheon explained that on September 30, last, the extension of the life of the Commission was approved by Cabinet, after the decision was taken by President Donald Ramotar to approve its continuation into next January.
Back in February, the President had said that the COI will not come cheap and that he knew for a fact that the money would be well spent. Ramotar had denied that there was anything sinister in the holding of the inquiry, but claimed that his Government was in fact fulfilling the wishes of the late Dr. Rodney’s wife.
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