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THE commencement of another week into the Commission of Inquiry (COI) began yesterday and saw six persons giving evidence in the July 18th protest shooting at the Mackenzie bridge in Linden. APNU MP Desmond Trotman was the first to take the stand and was cross-examined by APNU’s attorney Basil Williams.
Trotman, of South Ruimveldt, who had journeyed to Linden on the day in question, with other APNU members, left the office of the Opposition Leader on Hadfield Street in a bus driven by Ronald Lewis.
He arrived in Linden at around 09:30hrs and joined a procession of about 300 persons in Wismar at the Palm Tree Cinema, and moved to the Wismar Bridge.
He explained to the commission, after asked by attorney Williams what next took place, he clearly stated that the procession then totalled thousands as some went over the MacKenzie Bridge, while some remained on the Wismar side and the others stayed on the bridge.
He outlined that during the course of the day he was moving from the Wismar shore to the MacKenzie shore interacting with persons sharing his concern.
At around 10:00hrs, as he was in the vicinity of the MacKenzie Bridge approach road, a truckload of policemen disembarked as he heard an officer instructing them to load their guns, and he instructed the driver to drive the vehicle in the direction of the crowd on the bridge.
Trotman noted that the officer was identified to him as the commander of the Division, Senior Superintendent Hicken.
He continued to inform the commission that it was at that time that the protesters confronted the police after they were angry and wanted to know what was going on and the police later retreated.
He described the scene at the bridge as festive, as there was music, people cooking, tents, folk song singing and children playing games.
He told the commission that he saw no illegality or breaking of the law, since it was the government who had promised the residents of Linden relief and had not delivered, and had further imposed upon them an increase in electricity tariffs.
He recalled at about 5:30 pm the police returned again, and the people hoisted a banner. He said he did not hear a siren and the police announcement but they opened fire and there was tear smoke.
Pandemonium broke out and women and their children ran for safety as more tear smoke came towards the crowd. He assisted a woman and two children towards the Linmine Secretariat.
He claimed hearing gun shots as he saw the police advance towards the bridge, as the firing continued, and a power outage came and lasted for about thirty minutes.
He noted that he saw two injured persons, one whom was shot in the arm.
Commissioner K.D. Knights sought from Trotman if he saw anything to indicate that the bridge was blocked. Trotman said there were logs, old vehicles and debris from a nearby dump site.
Asked about the traffic and if any vehicle could have had access to the bridge during the process, Trotman replied that he was not sure, since no one attempted to reach the bridge.
The commissioner then asked if he knew that buildings were burnt. He said yes.
Gordon ‘Bad Heart’ Calendar was next in the witness box and was cross-examined by APNU Attorney Basil Williams.
Calendar claimed that he saw commander Hicken on the day in question with a pistol wrapped in newspapers, leading the police on to the protesters at the bridge, after 17:30hrs on July 18.
He noted that the power outage came and the police capitalized on this as they continued firing at the protesters on the bridge. He told the commission that he crossed the river and went to the Wismar side where he saw protesters laying a dead man in a minibus.
He indicated that he got a call instructing him to leave the Linden area for his own safety. He said he returned three days later.
The other persons who testified were Army Major Warren English, Station officer of the Linden Fire Station Orin Brutus, Winston Caesar and Hector Solomon Jnr.
Ten other witnesses are expected to take the box today as the Inquiry continues at the Supreme Court library.
Trotman, of South Ruimveldt, who had journeyed to Linden on the day in question, with other APNU members, left the office of the Opposition Leader on Hadfield Street in a bus driven by Ronald Lewis.
He arrived in Linden at around 09:30hrs and joined a procession of about 300 persons in Wismar at the Palm Tree Cinema, and moved to the Wismar Bridge.
He explained to the commission, after asked by attorney Williams what next took place, he clearly stated that the procession then totalled thousands as some went over the MacKenzie Bridge, while some remained on the Wismar side and the others stayed on the bridge.
He outlined that during the course of the day he was moving from the Wismar shore to the MacKenzie shore interacting with persons sharing his concern.
At around 10:00hrs, as he was in the vicinity of the MacKenzie Bridge approach road, a truckload of policemen disembarked as he heard an officer instructing them to load their guns, and he instructed the driver to drive the vehicle in the direction of the crowd on the bridge.
Trotman noted that the officer was identified to him as the commander of the Division, Senior Superintendent Hicken.
He continued to inform the commission that it was at that time that the protesters confronted the police after they were angry and wanted to know what was going on and the police later retreated.
He described the scene at the bridge as festive, as there was music, people cooking, tents, folk song singing and children playing games.
He told the commission that he saw no illegality or breaking of the law, since it was the government who had promised the residents of Linden relief and had not delivered, and had further imposed upon them an increase in electricity tariffs.
He recalled at about 5:30 pm the police returned again, and the people hoisted a banner. He said he did not hear a siren and the police announcement but they opened fire and there was tear smoke.
Pandemonium broke out and women and their children ran for safety as more tear smoke came towards the crowd. He assisted a woman and two children towards the Linmine Secretariat.
He claimed hearing gun shots as he saw the police advance towards the bridge, as the firing continued, and a power outage came and lasted for about thirty minutes.
He noted that he saw two injured persons, one whom was shot in the arm.
Commissioner K.D. Knights sought from Trotman if he saw anything to indicate that the bridge was blocked. Trotman said there were logs, old vehicles and debris from a nearby dump site.
Asked about the traffic and if any vehicle could have had access to the bridge during the process, Trotman replied that he was not sure, since no one attempted to reach the bridge.
The commissioner then asked if he knew that buildings were burnt. He said yes.
Gordon ‘Bad Heart’ Calendar was next in the witness box and was cross-examined by APNU Attorney Basil Williams.
Calendar claimed that he saw commander Hicken on the day in question with a pistol wrapped in newspapers, leading the police on to the protesters at the bridge, after 17:30hrs on July 18.
He noted that the power outage came and the police capitalized on this as they continued firing at the protesters on the bridge. He told the commission that he crossed the river and went to the Wismar side where he saw protesters laying a dead man in a minibus.
He indicated that he got a call instructing him to leave the Linden area for his own safety. He said he returned three days later.
The other persons who testified were Army Major Warren English, Station officer of the Linden Fire Station Orin Brutus, Winston Caesar and Hector Solomon Jnr.
Ten other witnesses are expected to take the box today as the Inquiry continues at the Supreme Court library.
