I read with some degree of jocularity a signed statement written by a group on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Linden incident in the Stabroek News, captioned “The Linden Commission of Inquiry cannot be seen making a case for the authorities.”

The statement was signed by a group with notable apologists for the PNC/APNU party, namely Drs Adeola James and Kimani Nehusi. Therefore it came as no surprise that such a statement should come out at this time. The last name mentioned, Dr Kimani Nehusi, changed his name from Francis Drakes to Dr Nehusi. I would rather have him emancipate his mind than just have a name change; this might do him some good.

The letter is a garbled text of what they anticipated might have happened in Linden, hence the confused nonsense from the group. But the truth of the matter is that what they had in their twisted minds and what actually happened are at crossroads. What actually happened is a slap in the face of these individuals, so they are in a mad rush to undo what was already done.

As is the case with so many things in Guyana today, where people try to rewrite history with their own narrow misconceptions, you are bound to have such misleading communication.

But I urge the commissioners and the partisan group to stay focused and get the work done. I know that the said group has its own biased interests in the Linden situation, but if we are to get somewhere, they need to put emotions aside and stick to the facts, and all the so called puzzling issues will be solved.

I am pretty sure the Chairman of the Commission will not allow this latest tirade to railroad this noble body from its set objective, which is to stick to the facts and get to the bottom of this crazed scenario that was Linden.

They are duty bound to ferret out the facts, and present it to the people who are paying keen interest in the proceedings. Therefore, the caption “The Commission cannot be seen as making a case for the authorities” is ill-timed and ill-advised.

No one wants the Commission to make out a case for the government, or for anyone for that matter of fact. What the people want is a truth and fact-finding body that would leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of the whole affair, even if it means exposing the wrongs of the police or protesters.

What we have seen so far is a vain attempt to cover up the glaring extremes of the protesters and their unfortunate sympathizers; some thinks the sorry group is finding it hard to come to grips with reality.

I must state my disappointment with the reasoning of a group from which one would expect a higher level of intelligence. But as far as reasoning or reasonableness is concerned, I am not in the least surprised when it comes to supporters of the opposition.

I think that group has breached the protocol that governs the CoI, and the Commission Chairman needs to make that very clear to those individuals. With such wild outbursts coming before the commission has completed its findings, much is left to be desired by way of a fair and unbalanced report.

Left to that group, it behoves us to believe that the findings would be greatly compromised. It clearly shows what the group had intended long before commencement of the CoI: carry out a Kangaroo hearing cut out to meet its own narrow ends.  But the commission will go, on irrespective of the jaundiced views of such members.

You cannot wish away the facts, and the following is a revelation of the hearings thus far:

1. The expert testimony from Dr Robinson, who, beyond the shadow of a doubt, testified that the spent shells did not come from the guns of the police.

2. An open confession coming from Trotman and company that violence is an acceptable form of protest.

3. The police did not act irresponsibly.

4. The protesters were violent, and nothing rational or reasonable emanated from that group.

5. The Home Affairs Minister did not, in any way, influence police operations at Linden.

If the Commission sticks to the facts, I think we would clearly understand what really took place at Linden, and not the Anansi story those with vested interests would have us believe.