Georgetown: The report from the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry will be presented to President David Granger next week. The three commissioners met on Monday with Attorney General Basil Williams at the Supreme Court Library, where the Commissioners will be writing their report.
Queen’s Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham, who chairs the Commission, said it was essential to meet, since the commissioners reside in three different jurisdictions.
Commenting on the impact of the conclusions of the report, since the CoI was cut short, the Chairman said that, in terms of evidence, some of the terms of reference were better supported than others.
“The premature termination of the hearings will mean that the report would not be as thorough as it would have been. We would be very disciplined to make critical findings of facts in relation to those who were criticized and for who did not get the opportunity to answer those criticisms,” Sir Cheltenham explained.
The Attorney General, in a rebuttal, said he did not agree with Sir Cheltenham that there was a premature end to the inquiry, since “after two years and several extensions, we believe that a lot of money has been expended and (the CoI) needs to come to an end.”
The AG said President Granger has agreed to facilitate a final process, and the Ministry of Legal Affairs has put systems in place for the work to be done.
The Rodney CoI was established in February 2014 by former President Donald Ramotar. Its mandate was to inquire into circumstances surrounding the death of the renowned Caribbean historian and politician on June 13, 1980. Rodney was killed when a device exploded in a car in which he was seated.
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