WPA to discuss Rodney inquiry terms of reference

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) will meet today to discuss the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the 1980 murder of that party’s then co-leader Dr. Walter Rodney.

Current leader of the party Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine when contacted by Stabroek News yesterday declined to comment on the COI until after the meeting.

Among the terms of reference of the COI is that all persons shall be granted an absolute pardon in respect of or incidental to all acts or things done, including offences committed in connection with or in relation to the death of Dr. Rodney.

The COI could begin in another six to eight weeks as work is currently being done to make contact with persons who may have to testify, Stabroek News was told last week.

Possible state surveillance of the political opposition from 1978 to 1980 is among the main areas for examination during the impending inquiry into the death of the political activist.

Rodney, a renowned academic and political activist, died in a car near John and Bent streets on June 13, 1980, after a walkie-talkie given to him by now deceased Guyana Defence Force member Gregory Smith exploded. The People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, then headed by late president Forbes Burnham, who had been opposed by Rodney, has long been blamed for the murder. The party, however, has continuously denied any responsibility.

Last week President Donald Ramotar appointed the three-member commission in a ceremony at the Office of the President. Sir Richard Cheltenham, a Queen’s Counsel and Barbadian national is the Chairman of the Commis-sion, which is also made up of Jamaican Queen’s Cou-nsel (QC) Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Trinidad and Tobago Sen-ior Counsel (SC) Seenath Jairam. According to the February 8, 2014 Official Gazette, the Commission-ers are 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 his death. The Commissioners are to enquire into the cause of the explosion in which Dr. Rodney died, including whether it was an act of terrorism and if so who were the perpetrators.

Among other things, the Gazette said that the commissioners are to “specifically examine” the role, if any, which Smith played in Rodney’s death and if so to inquire into who may have “counseled, procured, aided and or abetted” him to do so, including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Dr. Rodney’s death.