Possible state surveillance of the political opposition from 1978 to 1980 is among the main areas for examination during the impending inquiry into the death of political activist Dr Walter Rodney.
The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the 1980 murder of Rodney could begin in another six to eight weeks as work is currently being done to make contact with persons who may have to testify.
Stabroek News has learned that after meeting with officials of the commission’s s secretariat, the three members of the commission, who were sworn in last week, have left the country and will return when planned public hearings are due to begin.
Over the next few weeks, the secretariat will be working on getting in touch with witnesses and will be placing advertisements in the press, calling on these persons to come forward. Now that the commission has been legally appointed and the appointment gazetted, the secretariat can start its work.
Rodney, a renowned academic and political activist, died in a car near John and Bent streets on June 13, 1980, after a walkie-talkie given to him by now deceased Guyana Defence Force member Gregory Smith exploded. The People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, then headed by late president Forbes Burnham, who had been opposed by Rodney, has long been blamed for the murder. The party, however, has continuously denied any responsibility. At the time of his death, Dr. Rodney was a co-leader in the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) party.
Last week President Donald Ramotar appointed the three-member commission during a simple swearing in ceremony at the Office of the President (OP).
Sir Richard Cheltenham, a Queen’s Counsel and Barbadian national is the Chairman of the Commission, which is also made up of Jamaican Queen’s Counsel (QC) Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Trinidad and Tobago Senior Counsel (SC) Seenath Jairam.
According to the February 8, 2014 Official Gazette, the Commissioners are to examine the facts and circumstances immediately prior, at the time of and subsequent to the death of Dr. Walter Rodney in order to determine as far as possible who or what was responsible for the explosion resulting in his death. The Commissioners are to enquire into the cause of the explosion in which Dr. Rodney died, including whether it was an act of terrorism and if so who were the perpetrators.
Further, the Gazette said that the Commissioners are to “specifically examine” the role, if any, which Smith played in Rodney’s death and if so to inquire into who may have “counseled, procured, aided and or abetted” him to do so, including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Dr. Rodney’s death.
It was also stated that the Commissioners are to examine and report on the actions and activities of the State, such as the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana National Service, the Guyana People’s Militia and those who were in command and superintendence of these agencies , to determine whether they were tasked with surveillance of and the carrying out of actions and whether they did execute those tasks and carried out those actions against the political opposition for the period January 1, 1978 to December 31, 1980.
Additionally the Commissioners are to examine, review and report on earlier investigations and inquires done on and into the death of Dr. Rodney.
The Official Gazette said that under the Commissions of Inquiry Act Chapter 19:03, the commissioners are to enquire into these matter and submit a report findings as to those matters and to enquire into all incidental consequential matters connected therewith.
It was stated that the Commission shall tender its report, findings and recommendations to the president “within four months or within such time as may be directed by the president.” According to the Official Gazette, the Inquiry shall be conducted continually at Georgetown and in such other places as the Chairman may determine.
The inquiry, it was stated, shall be held in public, with reservations nevertheless to the Commissioners to exclude any person or persons if they deem fit for the due conduct of the inquiry, the preservation of order or for any other reason.
It stated that the Commission shall commence work at a time to be determined by the Chairman, who shall take appropriate steps to ensure that the Commission complete its work and submit its report within the aforesaid time.
The Commission shall establish and regulate its own procedure for the conduct of the Inquiry and shall be governed by the provisions of the Constitutions, the Commissions of Inquiry Act, the High Court Act and any other relevant law.
It was stated too that all persons shall be granted an absolute pardon in respect of or incidental to all acts or things done, including offenses committed in connection with or in relation to the death of Dr. Rodney.
In June last year, to coincide with the 33rd anniversary of Rodney’s death, the PPP/C administration announced the decision to set up the international COI, finally yielding to calls made during its over two decades in office. Critics have accused the PPP/C of not doing enough to forge ahead with an inquiry into Rodney’s death and allowing evidence to disintegrate or be lost. Since Smith’s death, it has been argued that many questions could not be answered. Smith, who had fled to French Guiana, was charged in absentia with the murder in 1996.
Opposition coalition APNU, of which the WPA is a constituent, and the AFC had both welcomed the announcement of the inquiry last year.
