THE long awaited report into the July 18, 2012 events at the

Mackenzie/Wismar bridge in Linden, which resulted in death of Allan Lewis, Shemroy Bouyea and Ron Sommerset and injuries to many others, after a confrontation between protesters and police, was handed over yesterday.
It was presented by Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), retired Chief Justice of Jamaica, Linsley Woolfe to President Donald Ramotar at Office of the President, in Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.
Among those present at the formal ceremony were other members of the COI, Justices K.D. Knights, also of Jamaica and Cecil Kennard and Claudette Singh of Guyana.
Absent was other COI member, Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal of Trinidad.
Head of Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon, Attorney General, Mr. Anil Nandlall, staff, secretary and attorneys to the COI were there, too.
Secretary to the Commissioners, attorney-at-law, Mr. Hugh Denbow said, in opening remarks, he was pleased to announce that the COI has been able to accomplish its mandate within the given timeframe.
He thanked the staff of the Commission for their dedicated support to the attorneys and commissioners who had worked as a team to accomplish such a task.

SPECIAL DAY
Chairman Woolfe before handing over the documentation to President Ramotar remarked that the ancient Romans had a particular style in recognising a special day by saying ‘heis venis’ meaning ‘the day has arrived’.

Chairman of Linden Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Lensley Wolfe hands over the COI Report to His Excellency President Donald Ramotar at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, in the presence of the media and other invitees

He said he was not going to be like them but would say, like Jesus ‘consumatium es’ which means ‘It is finished’.
Justice Woolfe also offered thanks to the President, on behalf of his colleague commissioners and apologised for the absence of Ms. Seetahal, who was unable to attend due to sickness.
Acknowledging that it was an honour to be given the privilege of participating in such a significant COI, he expressed hopes that the findings and recommendations are well accepted.
The Jamaican said the experience gained was ‘most grilling’ and noted that the focus of all the commissioners was ensuring justice and they were satisfied it was done.
The Chairman said, if the recommendations made, are implemented, they would create a better relationship between the citizens of Linden and the Government, between the citizens of Linden and the Guyana Police Force, between the citizens of Linden and their neighbours.
He said the COI has examined 71 witnesses and produced a report of 267 paragraphs which is well written and easy to be read.
“We trust that those who read this report will give it the consideration it deserves and the support,” he said.
President Ramotar, after receiving the documentation, thanked the Chairman and Commissioners for the work and the time they had put in to complete the report.

ALL INVOLVED
He expressed his appreciation and thanks to the secretariat which worked to support the Commissioners, the witnesses who came forward to testify and all involved.
The President said this was a fulfillment of the Administration’s wish to get to the bottom of the events and get recommendations for matters of this nature.
He said he expects the report to be very instructive and be a guide for the future in such instances.
He hopes it would set the plane for lessons to be learnt from the event and move beyond to have society more focused on the development of the country.
The June 18, 2012 protest was one of many in the mining community of Linden which stemmed from the planned increase of electricity tariffs to consumers and attracted the concerns of the political opposition and other organisations.