Lawyers representing the Guyana Trades Union Congress at the Walter Rodney Commission have submitted a ’request for particulars and directions’.
As you know I continue to represent the Guyana Trades Union Congress in this Inquiry. I have some concerns and I believe they should be articulated very early in the process so that the appropriate information could be collected and brought to the Commission and appropriate notice provided to the respective entities.
The Terms of Reference specifically calls for the Commission to look into the conduct and professionalism (or the lack thereof) of state actors from the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana National Service, the Guyana People’s Militia, there is no state counsel representing any of the joint services or are there any counsel representing the state. While the Commission has reminded us at the commencement of the Commission of Inquiry that potential witnesses “have nothing to fear from testifying. No prosecution can follow from your testimony”, it does not follow that civil proceedings cannot be initiated and/or international proceedings. See, for example, Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act ( S.C. 2000, c. 24) and Song Dae Ri (Re) 2003 CarswellNat 4527; (2004) 36 Imm. L.R. (3d) 203.
Read full letter submitted to Commission
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.