President ‘surprised’ at APNU’s reservation of Linden ToR

President Donald Ramotar has expressed surprised that the opposition coalition party the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has now found fault with the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the independent commission of inquiry into the death of the three protestors in Linden.
The APNU had been involved in the process all the way and had approved the document.
The coalition members criticised the ToR at a press conference last week Thursday, and speaking to the media on the issue minutes after swearing-in Justice Cecil Kennard as the final member on the Commission, on Friday, the president said, “The terms of reference was not a product of the government. The terms of reference was a product of joint work of the government and the opposition in that regard… it had a lot of extensive discussion going back and forth.”
In late August, the ToR was ratified by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon, APNU parliamentarians Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Vanessa Kissoon and Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan.
It was delayed after the Region 10 chairman objected to a clause calling for an investigation into the organisers of the protest.
The signing paved the way for the establishment of the independent commission of inquiry which included Justice Lensley Wolfe and Senior Counsel Keith D Knight from Jamaica; Senior Council Dana Seetahal from Trinidad and Tobago and Justices Claudette Singh and Cecil Kennard from Guyana.
Protest actions in the bauxite town turned ugly with access cut-off by blockades on the thoroughfare, arson and daily reports of robberies and extortion. The government undertook to put on-hold the new electricity tariff proposal pending the findings of a technical committee that will review all dimensions.
President Ramotar also visited the town on August 16, delivering on a promise he had made to residents.
The fifth member to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Justice Cecil Kennard on Friday took the oath of office as member in the presence of President Donald Ramotar.
Justice Kennard was out of the country when the other four members took their oath on September 5. In a brief comment subsequent to the swearing-in, he said that all the statements given by residents will be carefully examined after which the commission will decide on the witnesses to be called.
He explained that even though many persons will provide statements; it does not necessarily mean all of them will be called in, as many would repeat what was already said by a previous witness.
“We are hoping that the inquiry proceeds smoothly and that witnesses attend when required, so that the work of the commission can be finished within a reasonable time,” Justice Kennard said.
The commission of inquiry is one of several positions agreed upon in a series of closed door talks that the government, the Region 10 administration and the opposition political parties held at the Office of the President.
At a press conference on September 6, Chief Justice Wolfe, who chairs the commission, said that all decisions made by the CoI will be influenced solely by the evidence given under oath, or affirmation by witnesses, as the situation will not be prejudged.