WPA Leader died during second “walkie-talkie” testing – Donald Rodney

Feb 19, 2015 News

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What started off as a car ride with his older brother to uplift and test a communication device, ended up being the last time Donald Rodney would ever see Dr. Walter Rodney as moments later, an explosion occurred and political scholar was no more.
More than 34 years later, the politician’s brother, the only living witness to his demise, yesterday returned to testify before a Commission of Inquiry that on the fateful night they were uplifting a walkie-talkie from alleged assassin Gregory Smith and not explosives.
Donald, the politician’s younger brother, testified for the second time before a High Court Library packed with reporters, family, lawyers and political activists.
Donald had been with his brother when a walkie-talkie exploded in the latter’s lap in the vicinity of the Camp Street Prison killing him.
As he continued offering his evidence in chief, the witness told Commissioners that on the night of June 13, 1980 he went along with Dr. Rodney in his vehicle to the home of Guyana Defence Force Sergeant Gregory Smith.
He said that when they arrived, he exited the vehicle and approached Smith who handed him a “box” that was concealed in a bag. The box, he said, was not unfamiliar since he had seen it before.
As a matter of fact, the younger Rodney described the object that was given to him. He said that it was  small and had weighed about two pounds.
According to the witness, they had tested this device before and although on the previous occasion it was not a completed box since at that time its two sides were missing and circuitry had been exposed.
This device he received that night, however, was described as a complete box; one he could have easily held in one hand.
Questioned by Commissioners about his disinterest with checking what was concealed in the bag, Donald Rodney assured that his curiosity was not piqued because it appeared to be the one he had collected before.
Commissioners heard that the device in the bag had the same feel and size; as the one they had tested before. Walter Rodney’s brother justified that on those grounds, he felt no need to check the contents of the bag.
The Commission heard that after collecting the bag, the younger Rodney received specific instructions in relation to what he had to do with the device.
Smith instructed that the Rodneys walk with the device to Princes Street, to a location opposite the Georgetown Prisons, located on Camp Street.
Donald indicated that Smith said that the reason for them to do the second test opposite the jail was to see how the transmission was affected by the expansion of metal since the prison gates was heavily made of zinc, a metal.
The witness said that after receiving the instructions, he collected it, returned to the vehicle and handed it over. He believed that it was a walkie-talkie. The younger Rodney said that he had no knowledge whatsoever that it was an explosive concealed within.
Donald told Commissioners that they had strayed from Smith’s instructions and had not gone by foot. The politician’s brother said that Dr. Rodney reasoned that they should drive because “It wouldn’t make a difference if we’re walking or sitting in a car driving.”
Having handed the device over to his brother, they proceeded through Princes Street, then they moved on to Hadfield Street in the vicinity of John Street. He said they had driven past the jail and did not stop opposite as Smith had instructed.
According to the witness, they drove past Camp Street, onto Bent Street; they passed Hadfield Street and continued driving along John Street. He said after turning off the vehicle’s ignition, waiting to see the second device (the alleged walkie-talkie) light up.
Donald recalled that as he was looking through the window, he saw the dashboard lights come on and what he heard was a thud. That was the explosion.
The witness explained that his body was then forced against the vehicle door which burst open and he fell out. Regaining his balance, he looked in the car and realised that there had been an explosion.
Immediately he knew his brother needed help. Covered in blood, Donald ran to the home of a WPA member where either Andaiye or Karen De Souza opened the door.
The witness recalled telling them that something terrible had happened, and called on them to help his brother.
Donald recalled that the lower half of his brother’s body was completely blown off, while he received several injuries, some permanent, including loss of touch in three fingers on his right hand and impaired hearing and sight in his left ear and eye respectively.
In his testimony too, Donald Rodney had said that he was very protective of his brother, Walter, since there were many threats directed to him, some from the late leader of the People’s National Congress leader, Forbes Burnham.He said that at one time he heard a statement on the radio by a government official, urging all members of the WPA to “make their wills”. Donald said that his brother’s name was called. He added that he was aware that Walter was a significant figure in the WPA.
He said he was more protective whenever they dealt with persons who were not part of the WPA. He described Smith as an outsider.
He said on the previous occasions he met Smith, he acted as a buffer between them. He did this in relation to obtaining and Smith designing and completing the circuitry for a walkie-talkie at that time.
During his testimony, too, he said that he was charged with being in possession of an explosive device and was convicted.
Also, during his testimony, Donald discredited the accounts of murder accused sergeant, Gregory Smith as contained in the book, “Assassination, Cry of a Failed Revolution.”
Donald Rodney dismissed as “totally false” and “a total concoction” tales by Sergeant Smith that Dr. Rodney was involved in a plot to smuggle arms and ammunition into Guyana and was recruiting sailors for a mercenary attack on the government.
The book is an account by Smith’s sister of a plot by political scholar, Dr. Walter Rodney, to overthrow the Burnham regime through various plots.

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