Granger has obligation to testify at Walter Rodney inquiry

-Rohee

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee is set to appear before the Commis-sion of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of historian and political leader Dr Walter Rodney and he says all those with knowledge should come forward.

Speaking with reporters after the PPP’s weekly press conference on Monday, Rohee singled out Opposition Leader David Granger and argued that he has an obligation to come forward voluntarily before the CoI.

Rohee, who said that he was currently preparing and sorting evidence that would need to be presented, also charged that instead of focusing on the testimony of former House of Israel Member Joseph Hamilton, who is currently a PPP/C Member of Parliament, the media should be asking why others have refused to testify.

Granger and the PNCR have taken a position of non-cooperation with the CoI due to objections to its Terms of Reference (ToR) and specifically the mandate to examine possible state surveillance of the political opposition for the period January 1, 1978 to December 31, 1980. Granger was a commander of the Guyana Defence Force at the time.

“Why focus on a man that has come clean… and not focus on those who still have skeletons,” Rohee said in reference to Hamilton’s controversial testimony, in which he admitted to beating and terrorising persons while breaking up WPA meetings.

Clement Rohee
Clement Rohee

Rohee referred to Hamilton as a born again Christian in light of his confessions during his testimony at a recent public hearing.

“He said he had cleansed himself. He feels cleansed… like a born again Christian. We commit so many sins, go to church and you confess your sins and then you say, ‘Look, I have accepted the lord,’” he observed.

Rohee added that the PPP has accepted what Hamilton revealed during his testimony and that it does not question his character.

He said that Guyana needed more confessions such as Hamilton’s and added that the PPP was not fazed by the number of illegalities Hamilton’s confessed to.

When asked if the party would consider any type of disciplinary action against Hamilton after calls for Hamilton’s resignation by APNU Member of Parlia-ment Joseph Harmon, Rohee responded that Harmon had no credibility that could be used to sway the PPP’s decision-making.

He also said that the opposition was just calling for Hamilton’s resignation because of the level of exposure that occurred during his testimony. Rohee said that what happened in the past was the past and he even noted his own physical altercations with former PNC member Odinga Lumumba, who is also currently a PPP/C MP. “Odinga Lumumba beat me up too,” he said, before adding that the past does not currently define their professional interactions.

The CoI provides immunity to any person who would provide evidence incriminating themselves. In addition to terrorising political opponents, Hamilton also testified that he received hand guns from former PNCR leader Robert Corbin. Corbin has since said that what was said by Hamilton to the CoI was filled with much fabrication and perjury.