BROTHERS Rodwell and Alando Lewis, the sons of Allan Lewis, one of the three Linden Martyrs, said they are happy with the recent $77 million settlement that was reached, after the families of the three Linden Martyrs sued the state earlier this year.

The Linden Martyrs – Ron Somerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Lewis – were killed on July 18, 2012 during a protest in Linden over a proposal by the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government to hike electricity rates there, notwithstanding economic difficulties that were being faced by the community.
A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the deaths was subsequently held and on conclusion it was recommended that $3 million be paid to Allan Lewis’ family; $3 million to Bouyea’s family and $2 million to Somerset’s family.

Lewis’ son Rodwell shared that the family always deemed the settlement unfair for the life of his father.
“The challenge was always something in the pipeline after the CoI in 2012. It’s something that the lawyers at that point in time agreed to follow up with after the CoI results gave the family just $3 million. It wasn’t satisfactory. But knowing how the administration at that time operated, it felt that it was better than nothing,” Rodwell shared.

He noted that many others died over the years without any recompense.
“Many others were killed and murdered and the story got ducked or ignored. Knowing that murders happen all the time under the previous administration, to actually receive some monetary settlement after an incident occurred was some sort of relief at that point in time,” he added.

In February, a $450M lawsuit was filed against the state on the grounds that the police were reckless and engaged in the unnecessary use of force that resulted in the deaths of their loved ones. The lawsuit was filed by Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade before High Court Judge Franklin Holder, on behalf of the claimants: Rodwell Lewis, the son of Allan Lewis; Jacqueline Bouyea, the mother of Shemroy Bouyea; and Margaret Somerset, the mother of Ron Somerset.

Now a father himself, Rodwell said that he would often reminisce with his brother about the time they spent with his father when he was alive. Notwithstanding the struggle of growing up without their fathers, the brothers have since both completed their university degrees in engineering.

The two brothers along with the other families recently commemorated the 18 July death of the three martyrs at an annual memorial service held by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to remember the fallen.

“We have to thank the RDC which has never let a year pass by since the death of the three individuals, and with their assistance we were able to form a committee that would plan and organise a tribute to honour the fallen,” Rodwell said.

Former Regional Chairman for Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice, Sharma Solomon, said it must not be forgotten that the deaths of the martyrs were purposeful but avoidable, because citizens had tried to reason with the government over the electricity hike.

The martyrs were shot at the Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge during a standoff with protestors and ranks from the Joint Services where residents were, at the time, protesting the decision made by the former administration to increase the electricity tariff from $5 per kilowatt to $65.

“If we are going to be asked to be put in a position we cannot economically deal with we want a government that would sit with us and understand what happened. We did not just appear on the streets, we were advancing these options, that right to have the opportunity to meet with our government to explain to them,” Solomon said.
Solomon was at the time speaking as a guest on the Benschop Radio Talk Show hosted by political commentator Mark Benschop.

He said it was the government’s failure to meet with the people of Linden that resulted in the protests.

“Linden stood resolute on ensuring that its rights were respected. You have a CoI report saying that you had snipers on the bridge at a peaceful protest with no one being armed. That says to me, you never had an intent to meet with the people of Linden,” Solomon said.
He firmly believes that the entire issue of hiking the electricity rates in Linden, were purely politically motivated, and had to do with the poor performance of the PPP/C in that area during the 2011 elections.

“Coming from an elections in 2011 it was upsetting to the PPP, because that was the victory that caused the one-seat majority, and the region’s performance at the elections wasn’t something satisfying to the PPP. Months after that the budget presented by the PPP that should give consideration that over two decades no economic expansion,” Solomon said.

Also joining Solomon on the show was former Regional Parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon, who shared of being in the midst of the chaos when the shooting unfolded on that fateful day of 18 July, 2012.

“I am still feeling sad in my heart as every year we commemorate the 18 July, it could have been our lives, because we were out there in the struggle on the 18 July. I didn’t just hear about the lives being lost. I held one of the gentleman that died in my arms. I was there when Ron came in when Shemroy came in. I remember children were traumatised, women were shot also,” Kissoon recollected.