–– families of Lindo Creek victims recommend

With the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) weeks or possibly days away from wrapping up its investigation, relatives of the murdered miners are calling for criminal charges to be laid against those fingered as the perpetrators.

Among the terms of reference for the CoI, is the clause that mandates the Chairman of the Commission, Justice (ret’d) Donald Trotman to recommend actions to be taken against all persons and or organisations that are deemed responsible for the deaths of the miners, and relatives want those responsible to face the court.

The need for justice for the murdered miners – Cedric Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton ‘Berry’ Wong – was key among recommendations submitted to the Commission by relatives of the victims.

Eight different sets of recommendations were submitted to the Commission in recent days after the families agreed that they should approach Justice (ret’d) Trotman on the matter.
On Saturday, the Commission’s Public Relations Officer, Melanie Morris, confirmed that the families of the eight murdered miners submitted recommendations to the Commission, but made it clear that the submissions were not as a result of a request by Government or the Commission.

On Thursday June 21, 2018, at least three of the families had said they were approached by Government to submit claims for compensation. But three other families said the information was misrepresented.
It was explained that during the public hearings, the families constantly met, and it was during one of those meetings that it was agreed that they should approach the Government or the Commission with recommendations for consideration. However, the families had expressed different needs, and as such, they subsequently agreed to submit individual recommendations to the Commission.

Though not detailing the content of the submissions, the Commission’s PRO told Guyana Chronicle that the last set of recommendations was received on Friday.
However, a source close to the Commission told this newspaper that the eight sets of recommendations were submitted between Monday and Friday last.

“The main thread or the common thread would be the call for justice…that was the main thing,” according to the source.
In addition to calling for justice, the families have asked to be compensated in various ways.

COMPENSATION, SCHOLARSHIP AND MONUMENT
“The secondary call was for compensation of some sort; either monetary or otherwise, because a lot of these slain men would have been the main bread winners of their families, and there were a lot of minors, a lot of the children were minors at the time, so that financial gap is still there,” the source explained. The recommendations also, reportedly, included the need for scholarships and the erection of monuments.

“We want them to be charged. We want the perpetrators to face the court,” one of the family members told Guyana Chronicle under anonymity. He noted that while there are calls for compensation, the families, at the end of the COI, would like to see justice served. For them, justice begins, in this case, with charges being laid.
Pauline Yearwood – the mother of Horace Drakes’ five children – said she too wants justice.
“We are looking for justice. I have five children for him, and I struggled with them…so I am asking the Government for justice,” Yearwood told reporters on the sideline of a Memorial Walk on June 21, 2018.

Weighing in on the matter, one of her daughters, Dellencia Drakes, said they also want to be compensated. “We are not looking for the money, we are looking for jobs, and at least if we can get a house for the five children, it could be a ‘children’ property,” Drakes explained.
Horace Drakes’ five children are between the ages of 27 and 18, and of the set, three are unemployed.

Maureen Harry, the wife of the late Bonny Harry, echoed similar sentiments, stating that life has been rough since the death of her husband. “I am hoping for Justice. I am just hoping for Justice, that Justice would prevail,” she said while also expressing the desire to be financially compensated.

Mother of the late Nigel Torres, Yonette Torres, said her son’s death was a great loss to the family, and though he cannot return, justice would start the healing process. “I hope by the grace of God that we will get justice,” Mrs. Torres said, while noting that financial compensation would be a plus.

The late Compton Speirs’ sister, Carmen Gittens, told Guyana Chronicle that a $25M compensation to her brother’s immediate family members would be reasonable. “I am looking forward for something great, and I know God is in control and God will make a way for us,” she posited.

Approximately one week ago, Justice Trotman told this newspaper that he was weeks away from completing his report for submission to President Granger. His report is expected to reveal the ‘truth’ about the massacre. “We hope that neither his Excellency nor the families nor the nation will be disappointed,” Justice Trotman told this newspaper.

The charred remains of the eight miners were discovered at a mining camp at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River on June 21, 2008.