By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com]– Longstanding Aviation professional, Captain Gerald Gouveia will take the stand at the ongoing Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry today (Thursday, June 25).
Gouveia has been accused of flying a military aircraft with Former Guyana Defence Force Member Gregory Smith to Kwakwani shortly after the Friday, June 13, 1980 death of Dr. Walter Rodney.
Smith is accused of giving Rodney a ‘walkie talkie’ which subsequently exploded, killing him.
According to Chairman of the Commission Sir Richard Cheltenham, the Commission has made a commitment to hear from Gouveia today, which it will not depart from.
Former Army Chief Norman Mclean had recently denied knowing that Gouviea, who is now the Chief Executive Officer of Roriama Airways, had made that alleged trip to Kwakwani.
He said he only learnt of that a few weeks ago during a conversation with Gouveia, who had told him them that he was to appear at before the Commission to answer to the allegations.
“I learnt of that for the first time six weeks ago during a conversation with Gerry Gouveia who told me that he had been asked to come and testify about flying that aircraft,” Mclean said then.
He claimed he did not seek to find out whether the allegations were true or not.
“If he didn’t tell me for 34 years, I don’t want to know now.”
It is not clear whether he has been subpoenaed or is coming on his own free will to testify.
The COI among other things will inquire who or what was responsible for the explosion that led to Rodney’s death, whether it was an accident or an act of terrorism and the role of some persons and agencies, if any, in his death.
he will say he flew a gdf man somewhere and thats the end of that.they were all henging their mouths for all the goodies under burmham rule.