Enquiry into strike incidents opens today -- Justice Carl Singh appointed one-man commission By Courtney Jones Stabroek News July 13, 1999 President Janet Jagan yesterday signed the instrument appointing Justice Carl Singh to conduct an enquiry into incidents that occurred during the 55-day public service strike. President Jagan signed the instrument in her office at the Presidential Complex in the presence of Labour Minister Dr Henry Jeffrey and Presidential Adviser Kellawan Lall. The President resumed duties yesterday following her return from Mount Hope Hospital in Trinidad, where she had gone for medical tests after a brief hospitalisation at the St Joseph's Mercy Hospital here. A statement from the Office of the President said President Jagan signed the instrument "establishing a commission to enquire into the events that took place in Georgetown during the FUGE/Public Service Union strike from May to June, 1999." The one-man commission is to commence hearings from today at 9:00 am at the Public Service Appellate Tribunal Building, Brickdam and conclude on or before Friday, July 30, "subject to such extension, if any, that may be granted by Her Excellency the President." The instruments signed by Mrs Jagan state that under Commission of Enquiry Act Chapter 19:03, the President may "issue a commission appointing one or more commissioners and authorising the commissioner or commissioners to enquire into any matter in which an enquiry would, in the opinion of the President, be for the public welfare." The instruments state that Justice Singh "shall exercise all the powers conferred upon him by the High Court Act Cap 3:02" for the purpose of the enquiry. According to the government statement, the commission will investigate and report on: 1. The protest activities which resulted in breaches of law and the police reaction thereto at ministries/departments of central government and other agencies but not necessarily limited to:- (i) Agriculture (ii) Finance (iii) Magistrate/high courts and related departments (iv) Public hospital (v) Inland revenue (vi) Customs and excise (vii) Wharves 2. The police shooting of strikers and others in Water Street, on Tuesday, May 18, 1999. 3. The frequent invasion of the Public Hospital, Georgetown by unruly mobs and interference with members of staff as well as patients within and/or without the said hospital. 4. The closure of wharves 5. The acts of malicious damage to property, incidents of robberies and violence committed against citizens, particularly East Indians, store owners and vendors. 6. The forced entry of the Guyana Public Service Union headquarters on Regent Street, Bourda. 7. The causes why the MV Barima and the MV Makouria were rendered unserviceable upon the commencement of the strike or thereabouts. 8. The unlawful acts and actions by protestors perpetrated against Customs officers in the execution of their duties at Customs House and other sites in Georgetown in June, 1999 and the several attacks on policemen in the course of their duties. 9. The activities of Tuesday, June 15, 1999, including:- (i) Explosive device thrown in Bhena's store, Regent Street (ii) Obstruction of roadway (iii) Looting (iv) Damage to property--vehicles, building, show windows (v) Lighting of fires (vi) Assault and robbery committed at markets The secretary of the commission will be a lawyer appointed either from the Attorney General's Chambers or the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The terms of resumption agreed to by government and the five public service unions included the establishment of a commission of enquiry into a number of incidents that occurred during the strike. These included the May 18 police shooting of a number of strikers including nurses and a television photographer outside John Fernandes wharf, incidents at the Ministry of Finance on June 10, which included an alleged grenade throwing incident, and the attack of GPSU headquarters allegedly by ranks of the police Quick Reaction Squad. The specific wording of the terms of reference stated that "it is the understanding of the parties that the President may, at her discretion, specify such matters that she may consider proper without prejudice to the above." After initial objections, the GPSU and the four unions that comprised the Federation of Unions of Government Employees (FUGE) agreed to expand the mandate of the Commission of Enquiry to include probes into other incidents that occurred during the strike. Meanwhile, on the crucial matter of the arbitration tribunal, Dr Jeffrey told Stabroek News yesterday that Chairman of three-man panel, Barbados-based Guyanese management consultant Dr Aubrey Armstrong, had requested some documents to help him get a wider picture of the issue. Dr Jeffrey said he was in the process of sending the relevant documents to Barbados, but he could not say when the panel will begin its work. The other members of the panel are the unions' representative, economist Dr Clive Thomas and government's representative, Dr Gobind Ganga, director of research at the Bank of Guyana. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples