Walter Rodney commissioners defend dropping off report to AG office

Feb 15, 2016 News

 – Pres. Granger was unavailable

In an attempt to explain the circumstances surrounding the handing over of the final report of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry, (COI.),
Members of the Walter Rodney Commission Seenath Jairam, S.C  and Sir Richard Cheltenham have defended their position to drop off the final report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) at the Office of the Attorney General.
In a detailed statement, commissioner Seenath Jairam, S.C explained that following their arrival in Guyana last week, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown had to leave the country urgently but he and Sir Richard remained.
“Before we arrived in Guyana the Chairman was assured that all the appropriate arrangements would be put in place to ensure that the Secretariat would be properly equipped to complete the Report. On arrival, the Commissioners appreciated that that had not been done.”
On the first working day in Guyana, the commissioner noted that no fixed space had been assigned for the completion of the Commissioner’s work.
“We were taken to a building being outfitted as the headquarters for all future Commissions. We also visited the premises previously assigned to us. We agreed that we would work there, but the premises had to be cleaned overnight and staff recruited to begin work the next day. It was only close to midday on Tuesday 2nd February, 2016, that the premises were made available. “
In the report, Commissioner Jairam reassured that the reason the report was not handed over to the President and to the Office of the Attorney General was because they received instructions to do so because President Granger was unavailable at the time.
He outlined that there were a number of difficulties towards ensuring the final report was complete on time.
According to Jairam, at about 9.00 hrs on Monday, February 8, 2016, when the typed version of the Report was being printed at the Hotel through private printing facilities, the Chairman received word that the ink had run out.
The Secretariat was contacted for a replacement.
“However, the Secretariat had no printer, but only a photocopying machine.”
Jairam said that the when the report was finally ready, Attorney General Basil Williams said that the President was unavailable
“He further advised that he, the Attorney General, would be out of office early on Tuesday morning but that we should deliver the Report to his office.
“As the Commissioners we felt that it would be improper and inappropriate to deliver a Presidential Report to the Office of the Attorney General and that we should try to discover when, on the next day, Tuesday, the President could receive us.
“With that in mind, the Chairman Sir Richard Cheltenham did try twice unsuccessfully to reach the President.”
The Commissioner said that Sir Richard subsequently spoke to a lady who confirmed that she was the secretary of President Granger; she instructed that the Commissioners leave the report with the Secretary to the Attorney General.
“Photographs were taken at each stage of our journey, including at the security hut on the premises of the President’s office and at the office of the Attorney General/Ministryof Legal Affairs.”
“There is a photograph of the Chairman handing over the Report to the Attorney General’s secretary as well as a photograph of the Minister’s secretary with Commissioner Jairam,” the commissioner stated.