HOME Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee will take the witness stand today at 10:00hrs as the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) continues hearing testimony into the July 18th incident in which three persons in Linden were shot dead in protect action.

But as per the terms of reference of the CoI, the minister is only expected to outline the operation of the police force and the orders given to that body.
After yesterday’s session, the attorneys were still to name the assessor for the Commission of Inquiry. A list of nominees was tendered to the chairman of the CoI by the attorneys present, but a decision on the nominee was still to be reached.
Senior Police Superintendent Linden Alves told the CoI on Monday that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Riot Unit of the Guyana Police Force needs reviewing. Asked in cross-examination about the unit, and how it operated in regard to use of lethal force to clear the MackenzieWismar Bridge on July 18th, he made recommendations after being grilled on contents of the present SOP, and whether the unit had used the right approach on the day in question.
Nevertheless, as Commanding Officer of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) of the Guyana Police Force, Alves indicated that the modus operandi of the unit on the day in question was the call of the unit commander on the ground, but he thought a soft-hand approach should have been employed against the protesters.
Asked if he would recommend any changes in operation of the TSU and Anti-Crime Units, Alves said there need to be a review of the SOP; less military-like approaches with weapons, which agitate crowds; more effective training in firearms’ usage; increased human rights and human relations training; and more time for a softer hand.
The Snr. Police Supt. explained to Commissioner Diana Seetahal, in response to her question, that “a softer hand” would allow for units to engage in a less confrontational capacity organizers, leaders, politicians, church leaders, and even main figures, to disperse a crowd to the satisfaction of all. He said his recommendations are some of the changes he would like to see in the modus operandi of the Guyana Police Force.
The CoI was told that ASP Todd is no longer heading the Riot Unit, and that the wording “Disperse or we will fire” is currently undergoing restructuring on banners to be used in crowd dispersal.
Yesterday, NICIL Chairman Mr. Winston Brassington appeared before the CoI to give evidence as property owner for the Linmine Secretariat. He failed to show ownership by law of the property in question when challenged by APNU attorney Basil Williams, but indicated that proof of ownership through another document would be supplied shortly to the commission.
Other property owners, whose vehicles were damaged, also appeared to give evidence at the CoI on what was reported by their employees on the day in question.
Two other persons testified before the CoI. One, who claimed he was assaulted by the police, broke down in tears as he recounted what had transpired on the day in question.
Mortimer Cornell, a vendor whose shop is in close proximity to the toll station booth at the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge, told the CoI that on the day in question he was vending beverages, but after the police began firing, he took cover in his shop, but was dragged out and assaulted by two ranks, one of whom he could identify.
Cornell claimed he had lost money, a gold chain and gold ring to the value of $450,000, besides an undisclosed sum of cash from the sale of his beverages on July 18.
Police Constable 21458 Osafo Timmerman, the TSU half unit recorder, took the witness stand to give evidence on the report he had submitted regarding the activities he had undertaken on July 18.
He told the CoI that he was instructed by Unit Commander ASP Todd that he would be the recorder, and Todd would instruct him what to record.
The constable told the CoI that he was a trained police officer, but it was the first time he had been assigned the position of recorder. He had no experience in that regard, but took instruction from his commander.
Questioned by attorneys for the deceased and APNU, Timmerman could but answer to the best of his ability.
The CoI will resume at 09:15 hrs this morning at the Supreme Court Library.