I was in Belgrade when Rodney was killed Granger

Guyana Times March 13, 2014

By Alexis Rodney
Former Commander of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)
and now Opposition Leader, David Granger said he was
not fearful of the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry
into the killing of Dr Walter Rodney, stating that he was on
travel duties overseas when the incident occurred.
Granger, the leader of the Peoples National Congress
(now Reform) under whose administration Rodney was
killed, is seen as a key witness in the incident. It was
widely alleged that then President Linden Forbes Sampson
Burnham used GDF Sergeant Gregory Smith to hand
Rodney a bomb which exploded in his lap while he was
sitting in a car outside the Camp Street Prison.
In an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday,
Granger said the establishment of the Rodney Inquiry may
very well be a political move by the Peoples Progressive
Party/Civic (PPP/C) to tarnish the reputation of the PNCR, a few years before the general
elections. He deemed the timing of the inquirys establishment subtle, pointing out that the
government, which has been in office for more than 22 years, had previous opportunities to
set up the Commission. Granger said the PPP/Cs decision to establish the inquiry, apart from
what has been fed to the public, may have stemmed from its realisation that the tide of
public opinion is turning against the administration.
However, he maintained that he was not afraid of the truth. What Im afraid of, however, is
a tendentious Commission of Inquiry, which seems to have determined guilt even before
evidence has been collected, he told Guyana Times in the interview.
Granger believes that the allegedly plan by the Government to stain the political movement
will eventually backfire. If the Commission of Inquiry does its work, it may arrive at
conclusions, which might be contrary to what they (the PPP/C) expect, Granger said.
In Belgrade
Reflecting on Rodneys assassination, the retired Brigadier explained that he was on travel
duties in Belgrade, Yugoslavia at the time. He said he was made aware of the incident
through the news. Granger said the PNCR and now A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)
never had any qualms over the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry. What the
coalition is concerned about, he reiterated, was the appointment of Guyanese-Trinidadian
Senior Counsel J airam Seenath, which has been described as contentious.
J airam, along with J amaican Queens Counsel J acqueline Samuels-Brown and Chairman of
the Commission, Richard Cheltenham, was sworn in before President Donald Ramotar on
February 24, to examine the facts surrounding the death of the late Working Peoples
1

Alliance (WPA) Co- Founder. The partys claim surrounds J airams apparent ties with the
PPP/C, since he was among the key players in a recent matter involving the government.
Granger said his presence on the Commission would be prejudicial.
Like the WPA, the PNCR has also raised concerns about sections of the Terms of Reference
(ToRs) of the Inquiry Commission. Granger zoomed in on ToR Number Four, which directs
the Commission to examine the report on the actions and activities of the State, such as, the
Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the National Service. To determine if
they were tasked with the surveillance of and carrying out of actions, and whether they did
execute those tasks and carried out those actions against the Political Opposition, for the
Period J anuary 1, 1978 to December 31, 1980. He said the content is very much unfair and
prejudicial as it suggests that persons within the disciplined forces at that time were involved
in Rodneys assassination. The APNU leader explained that the ToRs should be primarily
concerned with finding out the truth about Rodneys intention during the time he died.
Asked if the party has received an invitation from the Secretariat to participate in the
investigation, Granger responded in the negative; however, the party was invited to meet with
the Commissioners. He pointed out that if there was no redress of the ToRs, the party will
recluse itself from participating in any way in the inquiry.
President Ramotar had told the gathering at the swearing-in ceremony at the Office of the
President that the main reason behind the establishment of the Commission was the requests
made by the political activists widow, Patricia Rodney, other individuals, and organisations.
It was also noted that the then ruling PNC under the stewardship of the late Linden Forbes
Sampson Burnham was fingered as the mastermind behind the bomb blast that killed the
educator, an allegation that was denied by the political party.
(http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=53916)
2