Guyana Government Admits it Assassinated Walter Rodney

And Takes Steps to Right History and Make Amends to the Family

On June 10, 2021, the Government of Guyana announced its historic decision to acknowledge responsibility for Dr. Rodney’s assassination and a series of measures to right the historical wrongs.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF JUNE 10, 2021

• COI will be formally accepted and approved.

• An Inquest was conducted 8 years after Dr. Rodney’s death and the Findings were that Dr. Rodney died by “misadventure”. That Inquest Finding will be invalidated or set aside. “Death by misadventure” will be replaced by “Death by Assassination”.

• Rodney’s death certificate reads Profession “unemployed”. That will be changed from “unemployed” to “Professor”.

• The Rodney Gravesite & Memorial will come under The National Trust Act and become a National Monument.

• Dr. Rodney’s children’s books that celebrate the cultural heritage of Guyanese people, Kofi Baadu; Out of Africa and Lakshmi: Out of India are being added to the syllabus for primary and secondary schools. His other work will be made available to the University of Guyana.

• The Walter Rodney Chair is in the process of being re-established and funded at the University of Guyana.

• Donald Rodney was in the car with Dr. Walter Rodney, and is also a victim of this tragedy. A number of false statements were attributed to Donald Rodney, both at this trial, where he was convicted in 1982, during the Walter Rodney inquest, and in a contested appeal. Donald Rodney carried the burden of his conviction for the past 41 years. The Court of Appeals recently set aside the conviction of Donald Rodney (March 2021). However, a number of “legal” issues remain that will also be corrected. This announcement clears Donald Rodney from any wrongdoing.