Linden Commission of Enquiry Compensation:- letter by Red Thread

March 15, 2013

Dear Editor,

Although others have condemned the size of the compensation awarded by the Linden Commission of Enquiry (the Report uses the words “awarded” and “recommended” interchangeably), the travesty of justice becomes clearer if we break the figures down. This is a strategy Red Thread often uses: to break down large figures into what they mean for each household or individual per day: what is the Old Age Pension per day per recipient? Public Assistance? The minimum wage? The wages of domestic workers, security guards, shop assistants, cooks and cleaners in small restaurants? What can each wage buy? How does it compare to the cost of items of basic food?  Of shelter? Of sending children to school? Of medicine? Of transport? Of utility bills?                

Coping with accountability – commentary

Coping with accountability

Posted By Stabroek staff On October 9, 2012 – Editorial |

Setting aside the importance of finding out the truth about the circumstances that attended the killing of the three men at Linden during the July 18 protest in the mining town, the ongoing work of the Commission of Enquiry is important for another equally good reason, which is that it brings us – and more particularly the Guyana Police Force – face to face with the principle of accountability as an important tenet of democracy.

If the truth be told we have often been left with the impression that some institutions of state, not least the Force, are uncomfortable with accountability. That is precisely why sections of the independent media are doing everything in their power to report the unfolding events of the Commission of Enquiry. Quite simply, we are witnessing the altogether unaccustomed spectacle of the police being made to account publicly for civilian killings.  [read more]