PRESIDENT of the Guyana Bar Association Christopher Ram has expressed much concern over the manner in which the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Georgetown Prison riot which resulted in the death of 17 prisoners is occurring. Speaking with the media at the end of Thursday’s testimonies at the Department of Public Service building, Waterloo Street, Ram said, “I am very concerned about the CoI.”

RIGHT TO COUNSEL
Ram said he is unsure whether the witnesses were informed prior to their testimonies that they had a right to be represented by counsel.
Ram said, “I don’t know if the witness was told before that he had a right to counsel, but I certainly believe he ought to have been told.”
The Commission of Inquiry Act, the attorney said, is specific and declares that every person affected by a CoI has the right to counsel. That is a right, he said, that should not be denied.
While he was present at the CoI in his personal capacity, Ram said he has other concerns about the manner in which the inquiry is being conducted. He believes that some of the questions were asked in a manner to obtain particular responses. “That ought not to have been framed the way they were framed, so I am pretty concerned.”
The Guyana Bar Association, the attorney said, has much interest in the CoI and noted that there are ongoing discussions on whether the association would request permission be part of the CoI.
“So that we could appear as a friend of the tribunal but with a right to ask questions and also to object to certain questions being asked,” he explained.
Commissioners Justice James Patterson, Dale Erskine and Merle Mendonca listened to the testimonies of two prisoners, Dwayne Lewis and Errol Kesney, on the first day of the hearings.