Dear Editor,
Many years ago the late Forbes Burnham, when faced with an economic crisis told the nation that it needed to sacrifice wheaten flour for electricity. Many of his ardent supporters believed him and supported his decision and in the end flour disappeared and the supply of electricity became worse. I draw your attention to this past event as a means of highlighting a current situation; that is the premature end of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry. Minister of Governance Mr Raphael Trotman replied when asked about the Rodney commission, “Do we subsidize the Berbice Bridge and bring some relief to about 60,000 people or do we continue to pay another four hundred million for a few people to sit with microphones to look good” (SN, July 30). I would take leave at the late moment to convey to Mr Trotman that there is no amount of money that can be equated with the value of truth.
Editor, I do believe that the PPP and government did not establish this commission for the sole purpose of finding the truth, but also to score anti PNC points at a time when they had lost the majority vote and attempting to split the opposition would have been a consideration. But history has shown that motives and intentions do not always produce the intended result.
The new bible thumping Attorney General Basil Williams would know that Saul, the persecutor of Christians, was on the road to Damascus to do what he did best and by the time he arrived at his destination he has changed his name to Paul and had become a convert.
I, like many others in the diaspora monitored the commission hearings daily and found that the information that was revealed in testimony was beyond expectations, this in spite of several attempts by Mr Williams to produce a side show.
One significant piece of information that was revealed ‒ and this Minister Trotman must have already been aware of since he felt that nothing “earth shattering” was revealed or there was no “smoking gun” ‒ was the testimony of the female immigration officer. She testified that Gregory Smith’s passport was approved for expedited renewal by Laurie Lewis, the then Commissioner of Police. This was done during the PPP government’s tenure and after it had extended Mr Lewis’s service beyond the age of retirement. Why did they not insist that Gregory Smith appear in person to renew his passport?
With all being said what is done is now too late to undo. The commission I am sure is in its reporting phase. I do believe anyhow that there can be redemption. I would like to suggest that Ministers Trotman and Williams use their energies and influence in the cabinet to have Dr Rodney’s body interred at the Place of the Seven Ponds in the Botanic Gardens. Walter Rodney is a national hero and deserves to be buried in a place befitting of this status.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Branch
