Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on Friday wrote President Irfaan Ali formally requesting that an international commission of inquiry be conducted into the death of eleven-year-old Adriana Younge, the Guyana Police Force’s response, and the resulting public unrest.
Mr. Norton in his letter said Adriana Younge died under suspicious circumstances and the deplorable actions of the Guyana Police Force, and the resulting violence led to a loss of confidence in the institutions of the state, particularly, the Guyana Police Force.
The case, the Opposition leader said which began as a routine missing persons inquiry, has exposed a deep and disturbing weakness in the country’s law enforcement apparatus, and potentially, the willingness of some to use inaction in pursuit of nefarious objectives.
Mr. Norton who leads the People’s National Congress Reform said the decisions, omissions, and public communications reveal a disturbing pattern that could reasonably be interpreted as politically expedient incompetence. The matter Mr. Norton said warrants a frank and independent investigation.
The Opposition in requesting the International Commission of Inquiry said it should be headed by a distinguished Commonwealth jurist. The inquiry he said should be supported by neutral investigators from reputable foreign agencies such as the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United Kingdom’s Scotland Yard, or Canada’s Royal Mounted Police.
The Commission of Inquiry should seek to uncover the entire truth, ensure that those responsible for the murder of Adriana Younge are brought to justice without fear or favour, and restore public confidence in the Rule of Law.
The Opposition Leader also outlined several Terms of Reference to be considered such Develop a corroborate chronology – to reconstruct an accurate time of events from when Adriana Younge went missing to when her body was found and the subsequent actions; evaluate the police response to determine whether there was professionalism or a lack of it, timelessness, and effectiveness of the police throughout all states, weather their actions were consistent with legal requirements and best practices for handling missing children reports and crime scene investigations; review breaches in the chain of command – to examine communications within the Guyana Police Force from the time the missing child’s report was filed to the lifting of the curfew imposed after the events of April 28th; Access Evidence handling – to determine whether the failure to maintain the hotel and surrounding area as a crime scene compromised key forensic evidence and to assess whether this failure resulted from incompetence, or deliberate action or inaction.
Norton Speaking at his weekly press conference on Friday said the trauma surrounding Adriana’s death will not fade away as the government wishes.
“We want transparency and accountability. We want to ensure nothing of the sort must occur again in our country. The government, in its usual approach of serving and protecting family, friends and favorites, is busy seeking to sweep the crime under the carpet. This must not and will not happen,” Mr. Norton said.