Dear Editor,
Please allow me to express my disgust at the events pertaining to the laying of the Rodney CoI Report in the National Assembly on 12th May 2016.
The leaked portions of the report have suggested in no ambiguous manner that our late President LFS Burnham was complicit in the murder of one of our nation’s brightest minds, an allegation that I personally find beyond contemptuous after reviewing the bona fides of the witnesses who testified to such knowledge.
Member of Parliament for the PPP, Ms Gail Teixeira sought by way of motion to bring the afore-mentioned report before a select committee for examination, while the Prime Minister of our nation stood and argued against such a motion on the spurious grounds of ‘rules’. The Speaker of the House in the end suggested that another pathway to achieve the end result desired by Ms Teixeira existed.
My dismay with the government for failing to see the need to examine the Rodney CoI and its despicable conclusion knows no bounds; an accusation of murder levelled against our former president is a stain on the character of the man, his legacy and against each and every citizen of this nation. It must be defended vigorously. I can safely say a cursory examination of the workings of the commission has revealed a disturbing lack of intellect; critical witnesses were ignored and credence given to those who have long lost any.
I urge the President of our republic to change tack and to consider this report an affront to all the people of our nation and to treat with it in the aggressive manner it deserves. President Burnham deserves better than to have this poor attempt to smear his name lie gathering dust, I always remember him thundering the lines from Belafonte’s ‘Zombie Jamboree’: “Back to back, belly to belly, I don’t give a damn, I done dead already.” The good comrade may be truly dead now, but some of us still give a damn!
Yours faithfully,
Robin Singh
