THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP), in a statement issued over the weekend, has said that while it welcomes the start today of the work of the Commission of Inquiry into the death of Guyanese historian, Dr. Walter Rodney, it is not unduly surprised that its arch rival, the People’s National Congress (PNC),

The following is the full text of the statement:
“The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) welcomes the commencement of the Commission of Inquiry into the death of Guyanese historian and revolutionary, Dr. Walter Rodney scheduled for Monday, April 28, 2014 at the Supreme Court Law Library.
“The PPP takes this opportunity to urge all Guyanese who have evidence and whatever information at their disposal to boldly come forward and provide same to the Commission.
“In this regard, the Party feels encouraged by the decision taken by key leaders of the WPA, the Trade Union Congress, as well as other interest groups both at home and abroad, to participate in the work of the Commission.
“It has not, however, escaped the attention of the PPP that the PNC has opted not to appear before the Commission. This is indeed disappointing, though not surprising, given the obvious discomfort the PNC has, firstly, with the setting up of the Commission, and secondly with the Terms of Reference of the Commission, more particularly Article 4, which sought to ‘specifically examine the role, if any, which army officer Gregory Smith, played in Rodney’s death and if so to enquire into who may have counseled, procured, aided and or abetted him to do including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Rodney’s death.’
“It would appear that this particular aspect of the Inquiry has touched a raw nerve as far as the PNC is concerned, and could possibly unearth information and facts that the PNC would have preferred to have buried under the sand.
“One would have thought that the inquiry would have provided the PNC with an opportunity to clear its name, especially given widespread allegations regarding that Party’s involvement in Dr. Rodney’s death. Instead, for reasons best known to itself, the PNC has opted to stay away from the work of the Commission, a position that clearly has not gone down well with a wide cross-section of the Guyanese community.
“The Stabroek News, for instance, in its editorial of Tuesday April 22, 2014 said that ‘…the PNC owes it as much to itself as to the nation to be part of an enquiry that will pronounce, hopefully, conclusively and once and for all, on the matter of the killing of Dr. Rodney. Otherwise, it will simply have to live with such demons as will continue to derive from not facing a proper Enquiry.’
“This is a piece of advice that any self-respecting political party especially with a sordid past like the PNC can only find useful or chose to ignore at its own peril.
“The PPP is hopeful that the findings of the Commission of Inquiry would heal the wounds of a past period in our history when fear, terror and darkness prevailed over this land. Contrary to what the PNC and its Leader David Granger may wish to project, the brutality and oppression which obtained at the time of Rodney’s death stands in sharp contrast to what obtains today, one in which there is complete freedom of expression and respect for the constitutional and democratic rights of all Guyanese.
“Mr. Granger seems to be afraid to go under cross-examination at the COI, knowing that Rodney’s assassination was during his 43 years in the PNC.
“The PPP urges the PNC leader, David Granger, to seriously reconsider its position regarding the Rodney Inquiry, and own up to its responsibility to come clean with the Guyanese people on this issue of concern to the Rodney family, and for that matter the nation as a whole.”