THE report from the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has not yet come up for discussion at the level of Cabinet, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

“Cabinet has not reviewed it as yet,” the minister of state said, while fielding questions from reporters during a press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday.
Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Justice (Ret’d) Justice Trotman, handed over the report to President David Granger last August following a six-month investigation into the killing of eight miners at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10, back in June 2008.

Though the report has not been made public, Justice Trotman in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, disclosed contents of the report, its findings and recommendations.
“Cabinet has not deliberated on it, but from what I read in the newspapers, there are some very clear recommendations which the Commission of Inquiry has made, and I think for the particular entities for which these recommendations are addressed it is anticipated that some action would be taken,” Minister Harmon said.

Justice (Ret’d) Trotman, in his report, recommended that 11 public officials be sanctioned at the level of the National Assembly over their failure to perform their duties “before and after” the killing of eight miners in 2008.

According to the findings contained in the report pertaining to the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) – A nation’s search for truth and justice, the state officials at the time, while functioning in their official capacities, neglected to perform their duties “before and after” the murder of the miners. Those persons include: former president and opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo; then Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee; former Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, Gary Best; former Commissioner of Police, the late Henry Greene; and the then Police Crime Chief, Seelall Persaud, who is now the former commissioner of police (ag).

The then director of public prosecutions; the deputy crime chief; head of the office of professional responsibility; head of the Police Major Crimes Unit; police commander, E & F Division; and Divisional Detective Inspector, E & F Division, were also listed among the 11.

The commission has also recommended that the criminal investigation of the mass murder be reopened. Based on geographical and technical evidence provided by surveyors, evidence offered by civilians — including Leonard Arokium — and the visit to the crime scene by the commission, Justice (Ret’d) Trotman concluded that it was not reasonably possible for the the Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins’ criminal gang to have moved from Christmas Falls, where they had engaged in a shootout with the police on June 6, 2008, to Lindo Creek in a matter of hours or days while being hunted by the Joint Services. The evidence suggests that the miners were killed between June 7, 2008 and June 21, 2008.

He said evidence, however, suggests that the Joint Services may have done the killings.

“We wouldn’t say that there is validity to the claim, but we would say that there are strong reasons to support the view held by many that they [the miners] were killed by ranks of the Joint Services,” Justice (Ret’d) Trotman told this newspaper. Recommendations were also made for the families of the deceased to be counselled and compensated financially.