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Jun 22, 2014 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
I have not commented before on the Rodney Commission of Inquiry. I will not do so here now in respect to any evidence that had been led before that body. I will refrain from so doing because it is too early in the day to draw conclusions or arrive at opinions about any evidence that has been led. The best rule, even for personal purposes, is to allow all the evidence to be presented and then to arrive at your own opinion based on the totality of evidence and information available.
Unfortunately persons are forming opinions and judgments much too early in this process. I have observed that other persons have ill-advisedly opted to comment on specific portions of evidence led as well as on the process itself. As regards to the latter, the work of the Commission, there have been some adverse comments made by A Partnership for National Unity.
I find those comments unfortunate and unnecessary. Commissions of Inquiry whatever their findings, whoever may have established them and whatever their shortcomings, do have value. The then political agitators of British Guiana would have had considerable issues with the findings and recommendations of the Moyne and Venn Commissions which were established under the colonial government. But it would be unreasonable and unfair to argue that nothing good ever came out of the work of those Commissions.
Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry are important processes that were handed down to us within the Westminster system. It has been to our loss that greater use was not made of this mechanism, particularly after Independence.
They were never intended to be used willy-nilly. They are both costly and time consuming. But they could have assisted in resolving some of the deep and contentious political, economic and social issues that have affected Guyana since Independence. I would still hope, for example, that we can have a Commission to make recommendations on ethnic balancing of the security forces, since I believe such insights would be extremely helpful in healing some of the fractured relations, both political and otherwise, in our country.
You need not only utilize commissions and commissions of inquiry for tragedies or emergencies such as the deaths of persons, prison breaks or the breach of the conservancy dam. They can be used for a range of issues, such as the future of GuySuCo.
I think it has been a very important political development that under three years since he became President, Donald Ramotar has opted to have commissions of inquiry. It shows that he is attuned to their value and is not afraid of risking an adverse independent opinion.
The Rodney Commission of Inquiry is one with a difference. This is something that those who criticized it have failed to appreciate enough. This is a commission that is attempting to investigate the death of an individual which took place almost three and a half decades ago.
And because of this peculiar circumstance, the Commission has to adopt a slightly different approach than what one would expect of a commission of inquiry investigating a topical issue. With the passage of time, a great deal of evidence and information would have been lost. Key witnesses would have passed on. The commissioners have an enviable task before them. It is not going to be easy to determine what happened so long ago.
This is why unlike the Linden Commission of Inquiry, the Rodney Commission of Inquiry is not likely to base its findings strictly on the evidence given under oath. Some research and going back through the various newspapers and documents of the time will have to take place both for context and for the purposes of clarifying issues. It is therefore a special commission of inquiry, and something that we should be glad we have had the privilege of launching in Guyana. It will add to our experience as an independent nation.
I would have loved to have seen someone like Doodnauth Singh (deceased) Miles Fitzpatrick, Vic Puran (deceased) or Bernard De Santos as part of the team of lawyers for the Commission. They would have had a deeper understanding of the issues of the day and their questions would therefore have been more pointing and nuanced. Even at this stage, I would still love to see those of the above lawyers who are still alive be part of the process.
I was worried about how the two young lawyers from the Commission would have performed given their age and lack of an intimate familiarity with the time when Rodney was killed. But I was pleasantly surprised. They have done a fantastic job. I have been deeply impressed by their performance so far, which shows they have prepared well for this inquiry. It is good to see such outstanding work by young lawyers.
I was also extremely impressed by the performance of Counsel Basil Williams, who is looking after the interests of the PNCR. He has been brilliant. His cross examination has been a thing a beauty. I enjoyed listening to him, for he possesses a special talent in cross examination which is very rarely seen in our local courts today and which reminds me of some of old legal luminaries of Guyana.
And of course, the live coverage being afforded on State radio to the work of the Commission is to be appreciated. I trust that this live coverage will continue when the Commission resumes its hearings tomorrow.
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
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