Rodney Commission of Inquiry costing GUY$112 million

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

President Donald Ramotar (in white shirt-jac) flanked by the Commissioners (left to right), Senior Counsel, Seenath Jairman; Chairman, Sir Richard Cheltenham and Jamaican Queen's Counsel, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown. — President Donald Ramotar (in white shirt-jac) flanked by the Commissioners (left to right), Senior Counsel, Seenath Jairman; Chairman, Sir Richard Cheltenham and Jamaican Queen’s Counsel, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown.

The Commission of Inquiry into the death of world renowned historian and Guyanese politician, Dr. Walter Rodney will cost GUY$112 million, the National Assembly was told on Tuesday.

Junior Minister of Finance, Juan Edghill made the disclosure during the Consideration of Estimates of Expenditure for the 2014 National Budget.

The probe would be funded from a total of GUY$193,008 million under the category of Óther expenditure for Office of the President.

A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Carl Greenidge told the Committee of Supply that it appeared that an important item such as this would be hidden away” under the category of Óther’.

Appointed by the President to conduct the inquiry are Sir Richard Cheltenham of Barbados (Chairman), Trinidad and Tobago Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam and Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels – Brown from Jamaica.

The Commission has been gathering documentary material including historical records, memoranda and other material related to Rodney’s activities and his subsequent death during a bomb-in-walkie-talkie explosion on June 13,1980.

Public hearings could begin later this month.

The cost of the Commission of Inquiry into the 2012 unrest there was GUY$161 million.

Meanwhile, after painstaking questioning by parliamentarians of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) the Committee of Supply was told the Presidential Advisor on Governance earns GUY$1 million monthly, the Head of he Presidential Secretariat-GUY$983,238 and a typist-clerk GUY$43,137 at the lowest level.