Ms Gail Teixeira, M.P. to move the following motion:WHEREAS the Report on “The Commission of Inquiry Appointed To Enquire and Report On the Circumstances Surrounding The Death in An Explosion Of the Late Dr. Walter Rodney On Thirteenth Day Of June, One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty at Georgetown” was handed over to the Government of Guyana on February 10, 2016; AND WHEREAS the Government laid Volume 1 of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry in the National Assembly on May 12, 2016; AND WHEREAS the Commission in its Report presented its findings including “Critical Findings and Summary on Gregory Smith” and 11 significant recommendations, BE IT RESOLVED: That this National Assembly adopts the Report and its findings; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the National Assembly calls on the Government to take measures to implement the recommendations therein in order to ensure that the democratic architecture of the state is preserved and strengthened. (Notice Paper No. 52 (M41 Opp. 8) published on 2016-05-31)
By Julia Johnson
Editor
Prime News Inc, Guyana
February 10, 2016
Like thieves in the night the Walter Rodney Commission of inquiry report was handed to the attorney generals office and the commissioners headed by St Richard Cheltenham departed Guyana.
There are confirmed reports that the bound report has since been sent onwards to President David Granger, at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, office.
Now the whole issue about running short of ink seems a red herring, and here is why. Government wanted Sir Richard to hand over a copy of the contract he signed, but he said there was none for the over one half billion dollars paid the commission.
The need for a contract arose after sir Richard commission demanded of the government a "writers fee" for the report. This was in addition to the fee that would have had to be paid over for the week and now one week and a half of "work" in Guyana to facilitate the completion of the said report. one would have though that the fee for the compilation of the report would have been covered in the usual fees the commission received.
This government must tell us what and how much was paid to the last dollar for this report. And whether or not the commissioners were paid for the last week of so called work... work that included insulting Guyana's head of state. This was a presidential commission of inquiry!!
By Selwyn A. Pieters, B.A., LL.B., L.E.C. Lawyer & Notary Public (Ontario, Canada) Attorney-at-Law (Republic of Guyana, Island of Trinidad) Created December 27, 2015
On April 20, 2014, when the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC)] announced its participation in the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry, it concluded its press statement by saying “Guyana and Guyanese deserve closure to this chapter of our history and an end brought to use of Rodney’s name as a wedge. The GTUC is prepared once again to play its part to the achievement of this end.” The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry took up a lot of my time and efforts in 2015. The fact remains that the taxpayers spent $400 Million dollars. Further, the fact remains that a lot of time and effort of a lot of people were put into that Commission. As well, the fact is there needs to be closure for the Rodney Family, the Burnham Family, the Smith's Family, people like Ogunseye (who faithfully attended most of the proceedings including closing arguments), The PNC persons (who felt their characters were at issue) and many others who need that aspect of Guyanese history to be done and historically wrapped up. The sensible thing is to provide the time required to complete that report. The Commissioners are paid to Inquire and Report. Its taxpayers money, let it be done. Presenting the report at [January] month's end closes the matter..... We can then move on [in] 2016 without the Rodney name being used as a wedge, as Lincoln Lewis describes it.
By Selwyn A. Pieters, B.A., LL.B., L.E.C. Lawyer & Notary Public (Ontario, Canada) Attorney-at-Law (Republic of Guyana, Island of Trinidad) Created August 05, 2015 Updated February 03, 2016
The Report of the International Commission of Inquiry into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney aka the Rodney Commission of Inquiry or Rodney COI is scheduled to be delivered to H.E. David Arthur Granger, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on February 08, 2016. Initially the President provided the Commission with a deadline of November 30, 2015 in which to produce its findings and recommendations. However, extensions were provided to enable the Commission to complete its work.
On June 13, 2013, the thirty-third anniversary of the June 13, 1980 explosion that killed Dr. Walter Rodney, the Government of the Republic of Guyana announced that it has approved the establishment of an International Commission of Inquiry into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney.
In February 2014, the then President of the Republic of Guyana, His Excellency, Donald Ramotar, appointed The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry. Three
Commissioners were sworn in to probe the matter: Sir. Richard L. Cheltenham, K.A.,
Q.C., Ph.D – Chairman (Barbados); Mrs. Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, Q.C. (Jamaica)
and Mr. Seenath Jairam, S.C. (Trinidad).
(i) 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 the death of Dr. Walter Rodney;
(ii) To inquire into the cause of the explosion in which Dr. Walter Rodney died, whether it was an act of terrorism, and if so, who were the perpetrators;
(iii) To specifically examine the role, if any, which the late Gregory Smith, Sergeant of the Guyana Defence Force, played in the death of Dr. Walter Rodney and if so, to inquire into who may have counselled, procured, aided and or abetted him to do so, including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Dr. Walter Rodney’s death;
(iv) 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 the 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 1st January, 1978 to 31st December, 1980;
(v) To examine, review and report on earlier investigations and enquiries done on and into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney.
The first session of public hearing commenced on April 28, 2014 and concluded on
May 02, 2014.
The last session of public hearing in which evidence was elicited from witnesses commenced at 0930 hours on March 23, 2015 and concluded on March 27, 2015. The main witness Donald Rodney, first appeared on January 30, 2015 and continued his evidence from March 23, 2015. His evidence was followed by another significant witness Anne Wagner, the sister of William Gregory Smith.
The Commission has not seen fit to create a repository of important evidence, submissions, news reports and other documents relative to the Commission. This blog therefore is the most comprehensive collective of material in relation to the work of the Rodney Commission of Inquiry.
Final Sitting of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry
A final sitting of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry took place from the 27th July, 2015 to 31st July, 2015.
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th July, 2015 was allocated to the attorneys for interested parties to provide oral submissions.
Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry - Written Arguments of Counsel for the People's National Congress
Jamaica Hansard. 1968-1969. Proceedings of the House of Representatives of Jamaica October 17, 1968 (Rodney Affair 01, 02, 03) - "National Security of Jamaica"
Selwyn A. Pieters, B.A. (Toronto), LL.B. (Osgoode), L.E.C. (U.W.I). Lawyer & Notary Public (Ontario). Attorney-at-Law (Republic of Guyana and Republic of Trinidad and Tobago).
