Blood on hands will deter some from testifying at Rodney CoI

It is time for David Granger to back his words. I recall how he was most daring when he said that he was not afraid of any kind of interrogation, as regards the assassination of Dr. Walter Rodney. He also said the same about the 1973 killing of Bholanauth  Parmanand and Jagan Ramessar, who were ruthlessly and brutally gunned down after demanding that the ballots be counted at the place of poll during the elections that year. In fact, Granger did get upset, repeatedly, when he and his party (PNC) were accused of being guilty of many crimes and therefore ‘had hands covered in blood.’ So it is time now for him to come forward and answer some searching questions. I add here that only ‘the wicked flee’ and look over their shoulder, as innocence and truth are afraid of nothing.
We all know that the then Forbes Burnham-led PNC Government has been constantly accused of killing the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Leader, Dr Walter Rodney. This tag has always been like common knowledge, but nothing ever came out of it, as the then regime was in control of the press, had its hands in the judiciary, and exercised a reign of terror and intimidation. Now, since Granger was a Commander in the army during the period when Dr. Rodney met his death, it is only logical for him to testify, and he should be glad about it too. I am very surprised that he is now acting most evasively. Either he fears being cornered and implicated, or he is worrying about admitting some very revealing truths.
I point out here that the Rodney Commission of Inquiry has vested power to summon witnesses who may have relevant information so as to ensure that there is a full disclosure of what actually transpired at that time. I think that if a key person like Granger is unwilling to step forward, then he should be legally compelled to do so. I can see a game already at work. I am reading about some frivolous complaints like length of the actual process and cost factors. I think that the death of Dr. Rodney must be accounted for. After all, “The overall objective (is) to arrive at the truth, and any known individual or group with information considered helpful to the work of the Commission should be made mandatory to appear and share information at their disposal.” The issue has been left untended for too long and it is too big to ignore. It should be brought to a close.
So far the utter ‘shame and embarrassment’ we are seeing from the many disclosures should make us all aware of what Guyana has been saved from.

Dave Martindale