By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – A second extension to the life of the ongoing Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry is anticipated in spite of the People’s National Congress (PNC) hinting their unwillingness to support additional funding.
President Donald Ramotar was reported to have indicated his intention to extend the hearings ahead of the September 30 expiration date. The COI is currently on a break and is expected resume in October 20.
Mr. Ramotar had extended the COI in June; an extension that received widespread criticism from the PNC and indications that other extensions and any request for additional funding will not be supported.
The President, however, is reported to have signaled his administration’s unwavering intent to pump more money into the COI if needed.
He said the work must come to a completion and the truth in relation to the death of Guyanese Historian and Political Dr. Walter Rodney must be arrived at.
The PNC believes that both time and money is being wasted on an inquiry that is not likely to reveal the truth surrounding Rodney’s death and is being used for political gains by the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).
A total of $112 million was approved by the National Assembly earlier in the year to fund to the COI which commenced work in February and public hearings in April.
![From L - R: Attorneys - at - Law, Brian Clarke, Selwyn Peters, Basil Williams, James Bond and Keith Scotland is standing. [iNews' Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Rodney-COI.jpg)
He reiterated his opinion that the inquiry continues to waste time and said Donald Rodney and the Crime Chief who investigated the assassination should be brought, which he believes will guarantee a quick end to what he claimed was a farce.
He said too that recent statements by President Ramotar have confirmed the Opposition’s view that the COI is being use by the PPP for propaganda purposes.
Dr. Walter Rodney, a Guyanese political activist and intellectual, died on June 13, 1980. He is believed to have been murdered and had written several books prior to his untimely demise.
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.
emile mervin’s lens are highly discoloured,highly racial..he cannot see anything beyond race….an almost totally black commission investigating the death of a black scholar with almost all of the witnesses being black is used to drive fear in the Indians….pity the poor fellow.
No matter how long this circus drags out, it is the PPP that is now on trial in public opinion, because everyone is now convinced this is not about finding Rodney’s killers, but about instilling racial fear into Indians.
Problem is, Indians are more afraid of the PPP than the PNC, because Indians gave their votes to the PPP and the PPP pimped the country to the Chinese.
After 6 months, the corrupt PPP still cannot get anyone to tell the overpaid and underworked commissioners who exactly killed Rodney.