COI commissioner: I have made no findings!
Various media articles and statements describing the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI) as already having a pre-determined conclusion has prompted a response from its Commissioner, Sir Gary Hickinbottom.
For months, Premier Andrew Fahie has given indications in the House of Assembly (HOA) and on other platforms, that the conclusion of the COI has already been written.
The Premier’s rhetoric in this regard has also been adopted on certain media platforms and by at least one attorney representing some HOA members in the COI.
But according to Sir Gary, the articles only serve to speculate on findings or recommendations which he might make in his final report.
“Insofar as these suggest that I have come to any conclusions in relation to findings or recommendations, even on a provisional basis, they are simply wrong,” the Commissioner stated.
Further, the Commissioner sought to reassure observers that he had not made any such findings and would not make conclusions until he had “heard all relevant evidence and considered all relevant submissions”.
Sir Gary has continued to insist that the inquiry is only a fact-finding vehicle and is not accusatory in any manner.
This is not the first time that the Commissioner has had cause to issue a statement correcting erroneous publications made.
According to the COI’s terms of reference, its purpose is to establish whether there is evidence of corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that has taken place in public office in recent years, and if so, what conditions allowed this to happen.
The Commission of Inquiry stated that it is not a court, and as such will not make findings of criminality.
The Commissioner is expected to report his findings and recommendations to the governor by January 19 next year.
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For all those who quivering about coi attorney was not admitted to the bar, this is not a court of law, he is not practicing law in the bvi, so he do not require to be admitted before the bvi bar. Ok no more crying like little children.
Says someone that doesn’t know the law.
So it is your position that law is ONLY practiced in court? Really wish that people who dont know better would stop feeling the need to make public comments. For your information the vast majority of law is practiced OUTSIDE the court room.
Whatever evidence they feel they collecting should be deemed inadmissible in any court of law and amounting to unfair trial. The whole entire process is flawed, from the calling of it in the first place without adopting better options to the notice of it to UK media and not the very bvi government to the unruly disregard for virgin islands laws and disrespect for the virgin islands HOA.
Yup you are right. The UK should have given notice so the politicians could have made up false documents, rehearsed their answers together and planned out all there lies. The problem is the Belonger thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. The arrogance comes through with each witness. The COI was properly done to catch the criminals with their pants down. If they all did nothing wrong there would be no issue whatsoever with this Inquire.
You know why you pause and I also know why.Unless The BVI reach 70% vaccinated your agenda can’t move forward with your wicked plans.My people pay attention to the games!
Well Sir Gary may not have made any findings, but the majority of people in the BVI have. They have found that many of the people they trusted are crooks and charlatans.
Who this man trying to fool? We have not eaten our school fees we all know it’s a conclusion waiting for a script
Set of racist oppressors
Please explain why the negro always yells racism when they get caught stealing, selling and doing drugs, murdering, rape, etc. The fact is that the few negros that lift themselves up do so on the backs of their fellow negros. It’s the same when the negros sold captured negros to the slave traders. The real racists are living amongst you. The white man has repented for their forefathers sins. You however live with the worst in the next room.
you white people have no remorse who have steal and kill and now when to tell blacks who can’t be racist
Why do you assume ppl are
white or black? Ppl of all races hold all kinds of views
and often pretend on here to hold views they don’t have just
To cause friction. It’s pathetic but it happens.
One of two things
Either, you don’t mind being stolen , from , cheated, lied to etc as long as it’s a black person doing it.
Or, you are one of them.
It is obvious that you have already come to a conclusion Mr. Commissioner. The very manner in which Mr. Rawat asks his questions to those he wish to taint is very obvious. He doesn’t ask questions as one who is genuinely seeking to understand the issues. He asks like someone who is trying to confirm what he has pre-determined in his mind. We might be a small island and we are not all that blind.
Good lawyers only ask questions to which they already know the answer.
That is not the way an inquiry is conducted. That is the way prosecution is conducted. If you are inquiring about something you seek to get the full facts/story you make a determination from that. Your comment supports the exact post made by “what I see” above.
It applies to defense lawyers too. Do you imagine these witnesses are hearing this stuff for the first time? All of them have advance warning , early copies of the evidence bundles and so forth.
And up to now I haven’t heard any allegations of wrong doing, just questions.
The allegations will come in the trials.
He telling us lies again
Who, Fraser?
You could be right.
Racist or not, the BVI cannot continue on this path. We need good governance. We need visionary leaders to bring us out of this pandemic and corruption.
If you put sone black paint on his face, he looks just like the late Ning. Lmao
But cleaner
If you all can’t figure out by now that the people from the COI are blogging and influencing the likes and dislikes on the blogs then you are worse off that I thought.
So sad how you twist a very important turning point in the history of the BVI, into superficial rhetoric. Do some research for real.
Mr. Garry, you have made no findings because every time these people utter another lie jumps out.
who this K** trying to fool? of course you done make a conclusion you are with Gus
Because all findings and conclusions have already been made and packaged? Some may not/do not know what the other is planning, but it is clear that ciecumstances and history is speaking very loudly since this nightmare began.
So what is the purpose of this col. So no one is accounted for all that lack of transperency. Up to now no raise for the community and coat of living gone sky high.
The time has come ladies, gentlemen and children for us to take back our country. The truth is, over the years SOME politicians have taken our monies and enrich themselves. They have mismanage and abuse the tax payers monies, they have allowed borders to be porous and they have raise the cost of living by increasing the cost on projects. Now the most amazing thing in all of this, is that many of these folks go to church and ball out Jesus name. They judge people and try to put forth an honest persona and yet after watching the COI we the people know who some of you really are? However, at the end of it all, I want us to get back our country and ensure that the rules of governance, transparency along with accountability are in place for the next generation. I am sick and tired of people being two face in this place.