Former president Forbes Burnham’s grip and absolute control over the Guyanese society was so firm and extensive that he de-humanised and belittled many Guyanese by compelling them to clean trenches, canals or drains, according to the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up to investigate the death of political activist and scholar Dr Walter Rodney.
The CoI had been set up in 2014 by then President Donald Ramotar to determine as far as possible who or what was responsible for the explosion that killed Rodney on June 13, 1980.
In its report, seen by Stabroek News, the commissioners said that Burnham’s grip and absolute control over the Guyanese society was so firm and extensive that he de-humanised and belittled many Guyanese by compelling them to clean “trenches”, canals or drains thus giving credence to the slogan, “Trench or be Retrenched.” The report cited a book written by Senior Counsel Ashton Chase, a founding member of the PPP that “The jobs done were basically unskilled work such as cleaning trenches, drains, canals, weeding and under-brushing, picking up coconuts, fetching goods. The crux, however, was that while the various activities were taking place, he would strut around on his horse, stirrup, whip et al, from one field to another over the Estate…In this overseer role, instructions were shouted to the unfortunate to do or do over this or that task…The whip whacked and cracked in terrorem at some of these unfortunate victims.”
The CoI had concluded that Rodney was the victim of a State-organised assassination on June 13th, 1980 and this could only have been possible with the knowledge of then PNC Prime Minister Burnham.
