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FM
Former Member

Granger chided for comments on Rodney’s CoI – reminded that ‘justice is more precious than gold’

February 26, 2016 2:05 pm Category: Politics A+ /A-

The recent declaration by President David Granger that the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of Dr Walter Rodney did not give the “Guyana people what they deserve…” has been met with much criticism particularly from the Justice for Walter Rodney Committee.

In a statement today, the Committee lashed out at the President noting that his remarks not only attempt to rewrite the Commission’s Terms of Reference but completely overlooks the expert evidence by a witness whose credibility and evidence were not affected even after extensive cross-examination by the team of attorneys representing his Party.

President David Granger

President David Granger

“It is regrettable that the President has once again raised the issue of the cost of the Commission. Our Committee is on record as being sensitive to the instances of wastage surrounding the Inquiry, but we find it highly improper for the entire Inquiry to be measured in dollars and cents. We are moved to repeat the old saying – Justice is more precious than gold,” the release stated.

According to the Justice for Walter Rodney Committee, President Granger has faulted the Commission for letting in “much hearsay,” but in this regard he named only one witness whom he described as a “convict.”

As such, the Committee is hoping that the President in his next ‘broadside’ at the still hidden Report will say whether all hearsay is out of place or only if a convict is the witness.

“President Granger should also be reminded that it was no less a person than his current Attorney General, Mr. Basil Williams, who introduced to the Commission the most important piece of hearsay evidence: the book allegedly co-authored by army Sergeant Gregory Smith but published several years after his death. Under cross-examination, Smith’s sister and co-author was shattered when the book was exposed as a complete fabrication,” the Justice for Walter Rodney Committee contended.

In relation to the reference made by President Granger that former Crime Chief Cecil ‘Skip’ Roberts was not allowed to testify and former Army Head Norman McLean did not complete his testimony, the Committee also reminded that it was the President himself who, despite the strenuous pleas of lawyers and the parties represented at the Commission, brought the Commission of Inquiry to an abrupt end.

Dr Walter Rodney

Dr Walter Rodney

“The President cannot have it both ways: he cannot stop the Inquiry and later, when the findings are adverse to his interest, lament the absence of their testimony… Indeed, now that the President has publicly pronounced on the Report, it is incumbent on him to release it to the public. Years from now new generations may find it strange that a government had hindered persons in search of information vital to them and the health of the society,” the press statement added.

As a result of this, the Justice for Walter Rodney Committee has taken note of the fact that the President is commenting on a Report that is yet to be released to the public.

Therefore, it is repeating its call on the President to release the Report to Dr. Rodney’s family, the lawyers representing all parties at the Inquiry and to the media.

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'In relation to the reference made by President Granger that former Crime Chief Cecil ‘Skip’ Roberts was not allowed to testify and former Army Head Norman McLean did not complete his testimony, the Committee also reminded that it was the President himself who, despite the strenuous pleas of lawyers and the parties represented at the Commission, brought the Commission of Inquiry to an abrupt end.'

What does the Granger/Danger have to hide.  The International Community who installed him better be watching.

 

alena06
alena06 posted:

'In relation to the reference made by President Granger that former Crime Chief Cecil ‘Skip’ Roberts was not allowed to testify and former Army Head Norman McLean did not complete his testimony, the Committee also reminded that it was the President himself who, despite the strenuous pleas of lawyers and the parties represented at the Commission, brought the Commission of Inquiry to an abrupt end.'

What does the Granger/Danger have to hide.  The International Community who installed him better be watching.

 

Gyal wha mek you think the "International Community" only give them a 1% (one seat) win?  What Uncle Sam giveth, Uncle Sam can take away in a heart beat.

Bibi Haniffa

Is it any wonder we're stagnant. The President knows and yet he playing the fool, bare-face chap he is. And he is the man suppose to bring peace and harmony to Guyana. Raise another big flag to express how big is the love for Guyana and have the fools run to witness the fake nationalism. 

S
seignet posted:

Is it any wonder we're stagnant. The President knows and yet he playing the fool, bare-face chap he is. And he is the man suppose to bring peace and harmony to Guyana. Raise another big flag to express how big is the love for Guyana and have the fools run to witness the fake nationalism. 

The man is the biggest hoax to hit Guyana and it seems like people are falling for it.  Right out of the bat he released people under secrecy.  Has to be the first President gallivanting all over the world during the most important first days of the presidency.  I think he is a political dunce.

FM

Granger justifies the killing of PPP polling agents by the Guyana Defense Force in the 1973 general elections.

Granger blamed Hindus for the bombing Sun Chapman calling it the worst terrorist attack in Latin America's history.

 

What more do you want to hear from Him?

Billy Ram Balgobin

The insulting thing is that Granger and the PNC is pushing the lie that Rodney knew he was dealing with a bomb and it just blew up on him.  This is how these fking people want to insult people's "ignorance"

FM

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Redux, regardless of your comments, the ROdney assassination inquiry was prematurely terminated by the Granger government, the pnc refused to participate and the COI found that Burnham and the PNC murdered Rodney, and that the GDF and the GPF were complicit in hiding evidence and helping the assassin to escape.  Now, the head of the PNC and this government has not yet release the COI report even though he has nade comments about the contents of the report. When will 'I have nothing to hide' granger' release the report and take the blame as head of the PNC? maybe when Moses and Ramjattan finish shining fish boots with their tongues.

Z
redux posted:

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

We got your drift!!!  Now move on fool!!

FM
Zed posted:

Redux, regardless of your comments, the ROdney assassination inquiry was prematurely terminated by the Granger government, the pnc refused to participate and the COI found that Burnham and the PNC murdered Rodney, and that the GDF and the GPF were complicit in hiding evidence and helping the assassin to escape.  Now, the head of the PNC and this government has not yet release the COI report even though he has nade comments about the contents of the report. When will 'I have nothing to hide' granger' release the report and take the blame as head of the PNC? maybe when Moses and Ramjattan finish shining fish boots with their tongues.

what exactly does your post have to do with my "comments"?

other than u tekkin the opportunity to skin yuh bt and inadvertently comfirm what i pointed to . . . that is

FM
baseman posted:

We got your drift!!!  Now move on fool!!

the undereducated joker who doan know the difference between "subliminal and "sublime" calling me a "fool"

ummmmm . . . rich

lol

FM
Last edited by Former Member
redux posted:
Zed posted:

Redux, regardless of your comments, the ROdney assassination inquiry was prematurely terminated by the Granger government, the pnc refused to participate and the COI found that Burnham and the PNC murdered Rodney, and that the GDF and the GPF were complicit in hiding evidence and helping the assassin to escape.  Now, the head of the PNC and this government has not yet release the COI report even though he has nade comments about the contents of the report. When will 'I have nothing to hide' granger' release the report and take the blame as head of the PNC? maybe when Moses and Ramjattan finish shining fish boots with their tongues.

what exactly does your post have to do with my "comments"?

other than u tekkin the opportunity to skin yuh bt and inadvertently comfirm what i pointed to . . . that is

Wow, you losing it bai!!

From wha you seh, you leff Guyana long before Rodney rose up and assassinated, so exactly is wah gatt you so about the life and death about the man?  And more so, about Granger hiding from the truth?

But then again, that might just be rhetorical!!

FM
redux posted:

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

Rodney was a Socialist and a Pan-Africanist. Both of his passions were bad for Guyana. Had he replaced the Kabaka, the tendency of such thinkers are to subjugate citizens. Yes, he would have been labelled just as Forbes and Cheddie-both failures. Indoes would have called him all sorts of names just as Blacks think of CBJ. 

Guyana struggles for leadership. We saw a glimpse of brief light in Desmond Hoyte-Persaud.  

S

PNC attempting to protect its hero – Sir Richard Cheltenham

President David Granger

President David Granger

… will not dignify President Granger with a response

 

BY ALEXIS RODNEY

 

Chairman of the recently concluded Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Barbados Queens Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham has refused to address the response of President David Granger on the finding of the investigation into the death of Dr Walter Rodney, but said that it is a known fact that political parties would usually want to protect their heroes.

Founding member of the WPA, Dr Walter Rodney

Founding member of the WPA, Dr Walter Rodney

Speaking to Guyana Times from his law office in Barbados on Thursday, Sir Cheltenham said that he would not respond to Guyana’s Head of State or anyone else on the final report of the three-member panel, but noted that from his experience of previous such CoIs, it is expected that the People’s National Congress (PNC) would want to protect its hero.

“It is a political party and you understand what is happening. The hero of that party was Burnham, so you understand where it comes from…They had an idol”, Cheltenham told Guyana Times.

The final report of the Commission fingered former Prime Minister Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham; then leader of the People’s National Congress, along with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as the one responsible for the death of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) founding leader on June 13, 1980. The report only made this information official, as this was part of evidence emanating throughout the 17-month long investigation.

Barbados Queen's Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham

Barbados Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham

But President David Granger on Wednesday told journalists that the report submitted by the commission is highly “flawed” since it was based on hearsay evidence.

“I would not like to comment in too much detail in this point in time. The matter has not been fully discussed by the Cabinet … when you look at details of the evidence provided, it is clear that the Report itself is badly flawed and we intend to challenge it. We intend to challenge the findings of the Report and the circumstances under which that Report was conducted,” he had told journalists at the Office of the President.

Cheltenham said he wished not to cause a tit for tat with the President or any other person as it “will not end”.

“We have done our report and it is for the people to comment, including the Government and say whatever they like. And even take it to court. Many commissions have been taken to court. None of this is anything new, you all don’t have a rich history of commissions, it’s only now you all are having a view. Countries have commissions all the time and many of them are taken to court. Sometime on small issues, they would challenge the establishment of the Commission, but none of these is new. I am not disposed to comment on these things,” the Chairman told Guyana Times.

According to Cheltenham, he is professional in this regard. “This is the ninth Commission for me. Nobody in the region has done more commissions than I have and some of them have gone to court. So all of that are consequences of a commission,” he explained.

The Chairman said it is now up to the public to comment and say “whatever they want”. “We have already said what we had to say, we hope that they would find it as evidence base. It is nothing that I have to get back into. We have done our part. Having heard the evidence, we have made our comments. They can say what they like. It is proper that the people comment”, he said.

He said he was however grateful for the honour to have been part of it (The CoI) which he reminded was followed in the Diaspora and throughout Guyana through broadcast. He said the report should now be the “subject of robust comment and debates”.

 

Ramotar’s take on Granger

Meanwhile, former President Donald Ramotar who instituted the Commission of Inquiry back in 2014 said he was “extremely disappointed” at the President’s response.

“I am confident that the work that was done was thorough and that they collected a lot of (evidence)”, Ramotar said about the Commission’s work.

According to Ramotar, President Granger is in a position of “conflict of interest” since he is the Leader of the PNC which has been “accused of these things and he is the Head of State, he will use his position to try to discredit the report”.

According to Ramotar, Government since taking office has been showing hostility to the Commission. “They truncated it. They could have allowed it to finish,” he said.

In a copy of the report seen by Guyana Times, the three Commissioners – Barbados Queens Counsel Richard Cheltenham, Jamaican Queens Counsel Jacqueline Samuels Brown and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam – concluded that given all the relevant facts, events and circumstances set out in the report, they could do nothing else but establish that William Gregory Smith, was not acting alone but had the active and full support, participation and encouragement of, and/or was aided and abetted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) – both agencies of the State – and the political directorate including Prime Minister Forbes Burnham in the killing of Dr Rodney.

Rodney, a world respected political and social activist, died in June of 1980, after a communication device he was examining exploded in his lap.

It was the theory of those close to the founding Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), that the man he had somewhat come to trust; a then Guyana Defence Force Sergeant and communication expert William Gregory Smith, had implanted the explosive into the device Rodney was expected to test.

The theory claimed too that the Government of the day, the People’s National Congress (PNC) and its leader, former Prime Minister Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, had used Smith to carry out the attack.

FM
redux posted:

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

No one on this forum used that pejorative to describe Rodney. If you thought he was such a great man, why are you not speaking out against Granger's dismissive nature towards the inquiry?

FM
redux posted:

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

Don't know why I am mentioned here when I practically gave up my A' Levels studies to follow Rodney around.  To suggest that Indians would have called Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today is just ridiculous.

___________

Albert Einstein - Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.

FM
VVP posted:
redux posted:

i take this opportunity to call out all Indian racists here who would label Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today

yes, all you bums who wringing alyuh haan and wagging mournful fingers at "PNC"  . . . shedding crocodile tears and bellowing "murderers"!

you opportunistic bigots make me want to vomit

y'all defile the memory of this African Guyanese patriot and scholar

yes VVP, let's talk about "insult[ing] people's 'ignorance' "

Don't know why I am mentioned here when I practically gave up my A' Levels studies to follow Rodney around.  To suggest that Indians would have called Walter Rodney "n**ger" and sub-human were he alive today is just ridiculous.

ummmm . . . where did i "suggest" such a thing again?

you have a rale 'fancy pants' interpretation of "all Indian racists here" . . . no?

it appears that Freedom House needs to run a higher level course in propaganda for diaspora jokers like you and baseman

VVP, you are beneath my contempt

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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