THE hearings of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) are slated to begin Monday (April 28) at the Supreme Court Law Library, where testimony and evidence will be received from interested parties to enable the commissioners to investigate the death of the late founder of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) party, which occurred on June 13, 1980.
According to a release from the Walter Rodney Secretariat, the Commission,
headed by Sir Richard Cheltenham, K.A, Q.C, Ph.D, and comprising Mrs. Jaqueline Samuels-Brown, Q.C., and Mr. Seenath Jairam, S.C.,will examine the facts and circumstances immediately prior, at the time of, and subsequent to the death of Dr. Rodney, in order to determine, as far as possible, who or what was responsible for the explosion resulting in the late historian’s death.
It will also inquire into the cause of the fatal explosion, and seek to determine whether it was an act of terrorism, and if so, would enquire who had been the perpetrators of the deed.
Further, the Commission will examine the role, if any, which the late GDF Sergeant Gregory Smith played in the death of Dr Rodney, as well as inquire into who may have counselled, procured, aided and/or abetted Smith to carry out the act, including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Dr. Rodney’s death.
The CoI is also tasked with examining and reporting on the actions and activities of the State, such as the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana National Service, the Guyana People’s Militia, and those who were in command and superintendence of these agencies, in order to determine whether they were tasked with the surveillance of, and authority to carry out those actions; and whether they did execute those tasks and carry out those actions against the political opposition for the period January 1, 1978 to December 31, 1980.
The Commissioners will, in addition, examine, review and report on earlier investigations and inquiries done on and into the death of Dr. Rodney.
The Commission will be accepting original and follow-up statements from interested parties during its life, and will be setting subsequent hearing dates to facilitate the commission and attendance of witnesses.
All persons wishing to testify on these and subsequent hearing dates are asked to submit statements of their intended testimony in writing to the Commission. Persons who wish to testify but may need assistance in composing their witness statements will be assisted by the commission’s secretariat, and are invited to contact the Secretariat at the Supreme Court Library Building, or emailwalterrodneysecretariat@gmail.com
As has been reported, the CoI has held meetings with the Commissioner of Police, Army Chief, political parties, Speaker of the National Assembly, Private Sector Commission, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and trade unions and other stakeholders.
Lawyers attached to the Commission include Mr. Glen Hanoman, Ms. Latchmie Rahamat and Ms. Nicola Pierre. They are currently helping witnesses to put their statements together in an orderly and relevant fashion.
President Donald Ramotar had agreed, in June 2013, to establish the CoI following a request from the Rodney family, after a previous inquiry ordered by former President Desmond Hoyte in 1988 found that the historian/politician’s demise was caused by an ‘accident or misadventure’, and that was met with grave disbelief.
Rodney was killed when a bomb exploded in the car in which he was travelling. He was 38 years old at the time. Nine years ago, Parliament unanimously approved a motion to establish a commission to enquire into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The Parliamentary Motion that spawned the decision to establishment the Commission of Inquiry stated thus:
“On the 13th June, 1980, Dr. Walter Rodney, a distinguished Guyanese scholar, was assassinated by an explosion which occurred in his car at John and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown. Dr. Rodney was, at the time of his death, an eminent political leader engaged in democracy and social justice in a struggle against authoritarian rule. There have been calls for a full investigation into the assassination of Dr. Walter Rodney, which have received broad support.
“The National Assembly, in paying tribute to the memory of this illustrious son of Guyana, and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his untimely and tragic death, supports an enquiry being conducted into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. Rodney.”