Yasin Abu Bakr, who led the attempted overthrow of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) government in July 1990, will not testify in the 15th session of the commission of enquiry into the event. It is expected to wrap up soon.
The enquiry resumed yesterday at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, with commission lead counsel Avory Sinanan listing the witnesses who would testify in the one-week session which ends on Friday.Sinanan said the commission had sent Salmon letters to people who were subject to adverse comment or criticism by previous witnesses when they gave evidence.
He said the essential purpose of a Salmon letter, requesting the presence of the recipient, was to ensure fairness. As a result, a Salmon letter was sent to Col Hugh Vidale, who was a commanding officer in the T&T Regiment during the 1990 insurrection.Special Branch head Dalton Harvey had made some comments concerning Vidale when he gave evidence to the commission in camera at an earlier session.
Hence the Salmon letter to Vidale so that he could return to clear the air. Vidale consented and was the main witness at yesterday's hearing.Former NAR national security minister Herbert Atwell was also sent a Salmon letter requesting that he gives evidence in the enquiry.Another former NAR minister, Lincoln Mayers, while giving evidence at a previous hearing, had claimed Atwell wanted to abscond to Venezuela when Jamaat al Muslimeen insurgents staged the attempted coup.
Sinanan said Atwell responded by sending in a written statement which would be read into the written record but commission chairman Sir David Simmons, querying why, wanted to know if it was because he was ill."It was not stated officially in his letter but when the former instructing attorney contacted him, that was the response," Sinanan replied.But Simmons insisted: "It would be preferable for those who receive Salmon letters to come and give oral evidence."
Simmons told Sinanan that before steps were taken concerning Atwell, attempts should be made to find out if he could be physically present to give evidence.Former acting Clerk of the House Raphael Cumberbatch would also return to give evidence. While testifying earlier this year, Cumberbatch, who served as a temporary PNM senator, claimed former Speaker Nizam Mohammed sought to facilitate the granting of landing rights to a Libyan aircraft during the height of the 1990 coup attempt.
Harry Ramdin would add a human-interest element to the enquiry when he testifies later this week. Ramdin, who visited Parliament with his wife on July 27, 1990, was injured and his wife shot.
Dr Denaesh Ariyanayagan, who wrote a report on the response of the health services in the wake of the bloody uprising, is also lined up to testify and Comptroller of Customs Fitzroy John will give evidence in camera.
Corey Joseph, a former PRO for the NAR's youth arm, who was at the Red House when the Muslimeen stormed the building on July 27, 1990, gave evidence yesterday.The enquiry began two years ago and a large number of witnesses, including politicians, officers from the protective services, relatives of victims and members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen who participated in the uprising, have testified so far.Bakr, despite repeated requests by the commission, has failed to show and a witness statement from him is yet to be heard at the enquiry.
He has blamed an ongoing sedition court trial and poor health as reasons for not appearing. Former prime ministers Patrick Manning and Basdeo Panday, who were not in Parliament when the Muslimeen stormed the Red House, have not testified.