PPP concerned about Lindo Creek CoI ‘behind the scene’ scheme

Ethno-political crime wave

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo has raised concerns over the sudden move taken by the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to act “behind the scenes.”
Jagdeo said his party is paying close attention to the matter, especially when the CoI was intended to operate in a public space, instead of conducting pre-

interviews with potential witnesses.
“Working behind the scenes with witnesses creates a huge cause for worry because they could be really preparing people to come and lie at the CoI,” he opined.
The PPP Executive reminded that his party always felt that the inquiry was ill-advised from the beginning especially since it was the Army that conducted the operation into the Lindo creek matter.
“And the first act of (President) Granger was not to investigate the massacres and all the others things and how this gang escaped and almost conducted a reel of terror, but goes to Lindo creek,” he noted.
Meanwhile, in defending the work of the CoI, Minister of State Joseph Harmon told media operatives on Thursday that there is no shortage of witnesses, but rather they have already started hearings.
“…in camera hearings (are taking place) so there is already a body of evidence

before the Commission… Last week of course there were some issues with respect to witnesses that are out of town,” he explained.
Nevertheless, Harmon assured the media that these witnesses will be assisted with transportation expenses to get to the Commission. He said provisions for this are made in local laws.
The CoI into the Lindo Creek massacre was postponed for a second time on Monday, February 19.
The initial public hearing was postponed two Thursdays ago when Commissioner, Justice (ret’d) Donald Trotman reported that there were some internal prerequisites and logistical issues that caused the postponement.
When reporters turned up at the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Citizenship in Waterloo Street, Georgetown, they were informed that all public hearings were “postponed until further notice.”
When asked why, the Commission’s Public Relations Department related that the initial reason remains valid.
The media was further informed that the lack of willingness on the part of witnesses to come forward is being blamed for the delay to commence the public hearing.
The Lindo Creek CoI is the first of what the coalition Government has said would be a series of inquiries into the hundreds of killings which occurred during a crime wave that began in 2002.