(Audio) Linden commissioners to assess for compensation

-seeking extension into January

The members of the Commission of Inquiry into the July 18 Linden protestor shootings will also serve as assessors for any necessary compensation for injury, loss or damage.

This was agreed on Thursday—a day before the commission wrapped just over a month of public hearings that were being held at the Supreme Court law library.

As part of its terms of reference, the commission is tasked with making recommendations for “compensation where necessary for injury, loss or damage” as a result of the events of July 18.

K.D. Knight

Attorneys making various representations along with the commissioners had agreed to have an independent assessor to deal with the aspect of compensation. However, they have had some difficulty in identifying someone to perform this duty and as a result two lists were handed over to the Chairman of the Com-mission, retired Justice Lensley Wolfe, by the attorneys representing the Guyana Police Force and the family of the three men who were killed at Linden and injured persons. The only common name on the lists was said to be that of Justice Claudette Singh, who is also serving as a member of the commission. She, however, declined.

“What we have come up with is this: that having regards to all the circumstances, having regards to the terms of reference and what was the clear expectation of those who appointed us, it may present a difficulty to have someone else deal with the issue of compensation and so our view is having considered all the approaches, the best approach is for the commission to do the assessment itself,” Commissioner K.D. Knight said.

He explained that this would mean that the overseas members of the commission—Jamaicans Wolfe, Knight and Trinidadian Dana Seetahal—return to Guyana. So far, they are considering doing so in January 2013.

“We had set aside three weeks and that concludes tomorrow (today). At this point, it doesn’t seem possible at all to further continue proceedings this year and so we are looking at January… that come about because of our professional commitments and also personal commitments and so we were thinking of returning in January. That is not yet carved in stone but that’s where the thinking is,” Knight further stated, adding that they would be required to seek an extension of time. He noted that they are of the opinion that a period of one month should be adequate to accommodate the process.

Audio

COI Hearing 1/11/12

COI Hearing 1-11-12 Part 4

APNU attorney Basil Williams stated that this would be the best solution. “There couldn’t be a better body than yourself to deal with the issue of compensation and I suspect you would put aside a particular set of days to deal with compensation and we would have the advantage of you already knowing what the situation is with the claimants, so I don’t think we would have a difficulty with that,” he said.

Attorney Peter Hugh, who is representing the Guyana Police Force, said that he too would have no difficulty with the commission conducting the assessment.

Attorney Latchmi Rahamat, who is representing those whose property was damaged during the events of July 18, also stated that she would have no objections with the members of the panel dealing with the compensation aspect. “Initially, when I had entered an appearance into this commission, it was my interpretation under the terms of reference that this body itself would be dealing with the assessment so in that case I have no objection and I actually welcome this decision,” she said.

Knight stated that in that regard, the representatives of those persons who were injured and who suffered loss, would be invited to have their clients return for more detailed discussions. “They can go more in dept and we can arrive at an appropriate figure for compensation,” Knight said.