President surprised by APNU reservation on TOR

Georgetown : President Donald Ramotar showed signs of surprised that the opposition coalition party A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has now found fault with the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the independent Commission of Inquiry into the death of the three protestors in Linden .

APNU members criticised the TOR at a press conference and speaking to the media on the issue minutes after swearing in Justice Cecil Kennard as the final member on the Commission yesterday,

The President pointed out that The Terms of Reference was a product of joint work of the Government and the opposition in that regard… it had a lot of extensive discussion going back and forth.”

In late August the TOR was ratified by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon, APNU parliamentarians Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Vanessa Kissoon and Alliance For Change Leader Khemraj Ramjattan.

It was delayed after the Region Ten Chairman objected to a clause calling for an investigation into the organisers of the protest.

The signing paved the way for the establishment of the independent Commission of Inquiry which included Justice Lensley Wolfe, and Senior Counsel Keith. D. Knight from Jamaica, Senior Council Dana Seetahal from Trinidad and Tobago and Justices Claudette Singh and Cecil Kennard from Guyana.

The hearing of the commission is expected to start on September 24, and will hopefully bring closure to the issue that started on July 18 when protest against the phased implementation of the new electricity tariff escalated into clashes with police and the shooting to death of the three protestors.