…the Rodney COI Report
This Sunday will be 41 years since Walter Rodney was ASSASSINATED. But, even more amazingly, FIVE YEARS AFTER the Report of the COI into that assassination was handed over to the then PNC coalition Government – which included the WPA – it never saw the light of day, much less being released officially to the people of Guyana!! In Nov 2019, Dr Pat Rodney, widow of the slain martyr, poignantly called for the release of the Report – and denounced his mute erstwhile “comrades” in the WPA.
She insisted, “There must be strong resistance to those who would attach themselves to Rodney’s legacy in order to reap narrow political dividends in the present”. The “political dividends”, of course, were the Ministries and other governmental appointments handed out to WPA members and executives by the PNC. There is, of course, the precedent of a fella names Judas Iscariot who did accept “30 pieces of silver” for betraying his leader, who was also fighting for the freedom of his people!
Very sadly, this wasn’t the first time that the memory of Rodney was besmirched by the WPA on the altar of political expediency to save the PNC’s blushes. In 2005-6, the then PPP attempted to constitute a COI into the assassination, but the efforts were torpedoed by WPA leader Rupert Roopnaraine. He insisted that Rodney’s widow didn’t give her approval, because the PPP would make political capital to benefit themselves in the upcoming 2006 general elections. Mrs Rodney later denied this assertion. We can now see that, even back then, the WPA was playing footsies with the PNC, with whom they would merge into “APNU” in 2011.
Your Eyewitness knows that the PPP Government is transfixed by the two major crises confronting the nation right now – COVID-19 and the Floods. But they must find some time to release the Rodney COI Report, since it concerns an even greater crisis we’ve faced since 1958 – the PNC. The Report was quite clear that Rodney’s assassination was conducted by agents of the Government – especially the GDF, of which Granger had just been made head – and that Burnham, the leader, certainly was aware of the plans. This will remind all Guyanese – including PNC supporters – of the lengths that party will go to prevent freedom of thought – the essence of democracy.
This is a party whose leader, Burnham, was arrogant enough to warn the WPA (the “Worst Possible Alternative”) to “make its will” because the PNC’s “steel was sharper”. The reminder of a “will” is another reason for the release of the COI. Rodney’s death certificate insists that his cause of death was by “misadventure”.
Rodney’s family was never able to collect his life insurance.
…restraints on COVID-19 vaccines
Your Eyewitness was very elated when, a month ago, US President Biden said he supported a temporary waiver of patents on COVID- 19 vaccines. The EU quickly agreed. This, of course, would’ve allowed countries across the world to churn out the vaccines, so that the entire planet could achieve herd immunity. Meaning, like with polio, we would’ve stopped this deadly pandemic cold in its tracks.
But Big Pharma rose up in unison, and raised all sorts of specious objections – like quality control – which they implied the “poor countries” wouldn’t be able to maintain. They cynically ignored the fact that, at present, so many vaccines – including those for measles and polio, etc. are manufactured in these same countries. And the initiative seems DOA. The bottom line are money and profits. But while your Eyewitness is a card-carrying member of the free enterprise system, he sees no contradiction in insisting that the system be guided when necessary to serve the greater good.
The “invisible hand” doesn’t mean “no hand”!
…audit of all Govt depts
We all know that working for the Government is automatically equated with having permanent paid vacations. “Government workers” being a contradiction in terms!
But GWI under “Baby Jesus” has made the “vacation” analogy redundant!!
