AG’s team makes belated request to redact public COI documents
Attorney General (AG) Dawn Smith has belatedly requested for several documents submitted to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) months ago to now be redacted, though they’re already fully available online.
The request has been made in the interest of national security the COI was told recently.
According to COI attorney, Bilal Rawat, among the documents the AG is requesting for redaction are Cabinet and National Security Council (NSC) papers — several of which were previously discussed in open hearings before the COI.
Rawat said redaction is also being sought for matters relating to questions previously put to heads of the Joint Task Force (JTF) about EZ Shipping and the purchase of radar barge services.
Redaction requests fully ventilated in public documents
However, the COI attorney noted that those matters were raised during private hearings. He added that any security concerns were fully ventilated at that time.
Rawat argued that the AG was given time to consider the transcripts of the closed-door hearings and seek any redactions she wanted; including for national security reasons.
It was after this consideration, he said, the hearings transcripts were then published, adding that those documents have been on the COI’s website for some considerable time now.
The COI attorney suggested there appears to be a lack of coherence on the AG’s part. “The left hand is not speaking to the right,” he stated.
Make a proper application
Meanwhile, attorney Hussein Haeri, who appeared on behalf of the AG, argued that the National Security Council (NSC) documents are highly confidential and sensitive and said this is the reason for a request for the redaction of the material.
According to Haeri, the confidentiality of the documents is a particular type of Public Interest Immunity (PII) that the COI should consider. He said the relevance of the material to the COI was also an issue to be considered.
Rawat then told Haeri: “It comes down to this: We cannot accept the redactions that are being sought because there is no coherence to them. And if PII is being asserted, we really must stop just running around with the phrase. The time has come to make a proper application.”
After listening to the arguments, Inquiry Commissioner, Sir Gary Hickinbottom then ruled that the application for redactions must be properly made by 4 pm today so they can be heard before the COI by next Monday, September 13.
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The coi is just wrong this crap could have never happened in the Uk
White power at play
You obviously do not have a clue or have not heard the proceedings, hence your silly racist statement. Next……
I heard people give evidence during the COI hearings that the documents were not privileged. I guess clarity should have been sought on where those documents could ultimately end up. What happen, the AG is finally ashamed of all the wrong advice given using the Interpretation Act as an excuse when the government asked her to find a way to allow them to act beyond the powers they had in other acts? She is an enabler. She should have told them ‘no’ if they go down, look like she have to go down with them because they all throwing the AG under the bus from what it looking like to me. Listen, I have been to the circus and I’m telling you, this is clown show version 2.0…but is who the AG mess with that she looking so bad in public is what I want to know. A Haitian? A Dominican? This can not be normal. Yikes.
I agree with most of what you said but why you had to say those 2 nationalities?… You forgot going rock to mother?.. Stop this nonsense cause all she need to do is mess with anyone with a wicked heart for something like that to ever happen.. And why is your mind so superstitious? yall superstitious people are the easiest to catch cause you are already open to those things… Like a gateway lol.. The AG gotta stop being on a string thats all… Thats all on her.
Maybe some people know something you don’t know. Think about it before calling it off as nonsense.
He is amongst my many admirers and wannabees. Unfortunately not at all gifted with charisma, intelligence to erudition.
Clearly none of them share your humility nor your self-awareness!?
STFU d¡ld●
Lord look how the Attorney who this woman backing to get approval to practice law in the BVI, her own country telling her in her face that she is not capable of her job and is a HANDICAP in the LAW PROFESSION! Left hand not speaking with right hand!
This is the kind of nonsensical behavior we get from these expats who believe they are bosses to come in and disrespect us like that.
This happens in all level of service here and we pay these people triple the amount a local gets. To come and embarrass us.
AG, your power position must not be taken lightly and you must act your part by enforcing the policy and constitution of this country. No dilly dally with these people.
Keep your pride to yourself and fight with your brothers and sisters for the rights of this territory.
The Esteem is the only one who is not standing for nonsense in this place and the whole opposition gang against him all because of POWER!
YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE THE POWER YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS AND USE IT FOR THE GOOD OF THIS COUNTRY AND STOP PLAYING MADAM NICE LADY!
I dont know. To me, I am watching and seeing something different from you. It looks like it is the bvi government who is insulting the intelligence of the people because they clearly do not know how to manage anything and instead, they are too busy being vile, bias, victimising, and the list goes on. It is ridiculous. And this AG has made more blunders in days than I have heard of all of the previous AGs put together. Some seem to be mirroring what those embarrassing leaders are doing. Instead of facing the truth, they are on the defensive. It is not a good look. It is embarassing. Imagine, the bvi is only as strong as its weakest links. What do you do when the weakest links carry the most power. Oh my goodness it is so depressing just thinking about it.
Rubber dick – please explain why the COI is wrong… surely it is the AG that is wrong on this issue?
This has nothing to do with “white power at play”.
I wonder if she will fly in on her br○○m$tick again
STOP TRYING TO POKE OR WAKE UP A FEMALE LIONESS.
ROTFL!!!
HEY BLONDIE WE K OW ITS YOU
@Lester, Your post is DUM DUM