By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Commission of Enquiry (CoE) into the deaths of the four underwater divers came to a temporary halt as three LMCS witnesses were allegedly watching the proceedings before giving evidence on Thursday.
The information was brought to the attention of CoE’s chairman Jerome Lynch, KC, by Paria’s senior counsel Gilbert Peterson, SC.
Peterson was at the time cross-examining LMCS’s supervisor Dexter Guerra.
He told Lynch that they had information, the witnesses were in a room together watching the live proceedings. Someone was sent to check and “ it was in fact so,” Peterson said.
Lynch asked for a pause in the proceedings and sent the Commission’s secretariat Sarah Sinanan to make further enquiries.
After some time, she returned and relayed information to Lynch.
Lynch thanked Peterson and Jason Mootoo, another one of Paria’s attorneys for bringing the issue to his attention.
He said the witnesses were in the witness room, looking at the proceedings via their telephones which were subsequently taken from them. They were also placed in separate rooms.
Lynch said, “I thought I made it perfectly clear right on the onset to all counsel that whilst I did not and could not prevent anybody from watching these proceedings on the live link, I expected counsel to advise the people that they represent and therefore the witnesses that are being called by this Commission not to view the proceedings.”
He continued, “That has been a deliberate violation of what I have said. I regard it as a contempt.”
Lynch said he would not take any action in pursuit of that contempt but if it was to occur again he will.
“I have considerable powers to do so and I will use them,” Lynch declared.
He said, “I will not have this enquiry thwarted by people deliberately flouting obvious and plain rules that exist in order to preserve the integrity of this enquiry.”
The CoE chair also said he was very disappointed with anyone who felt the need to do that.
“What am I dealing with, children?” he asked.
Lynch also apologised to Guerra for the interruption during his questioning.
