Silk Legal now cleared for final written submissions to COI
Commission of Inquiry (COI), has now granted an extension for Silk Legal to make final written submissions to the investigative body.
The law firm — which is representing for non-Cabinet members of the House of Assembly — was previously denied the privilege after it did not respond to previous directions from the Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom on the matter of closing submissions.
Sir Gary Hickinbottom granted the extension during a hearing yesterday ahead of Governor John Rankin’s follow-up appearance next Wednesday.
“In the absence of any information, the COI’s press notice which notified the public of the date of the [upcoming] hearing, noted that Silk Legal hadn’t complied with the directions concerning closing submissions nor applied for an extension,“ COI attorney Bilal Rawat said.
He continued: “What almost immediately followed was what purported to be closing submissions, and these, while apologising for ‘missing the deadline for filing final submissions’, gave no explanation as to why it was missed nor do they make an application for an extension of time to comply with the order.”
Notwithstanding the lateness of those written submissions from Silk Legal, Sir Gary said he will still take them into account.
“I don’t see at this stage of the COI that there is any benefit in exploring why this deadline like so many other deadlines was missed,” said Sir Gary who noted that Silk Legal will not be making oral submissions during the live hearing next week.
AG has not made closing submissions
Meanwhile, Attorney General (AG) Dawn Smith, sought a further extension to make closing submissions on behalf of the government.
Applications from the AG received on two occasions for an extension of time until November 29 were twice refused, Rawat said.
Sir Gary responded to the request, stating that he was prepared to allow an extension until November 15, but on this date another extension was requested and again refused.
Attorney Edward Russo-Gill, appearing on behalf of the AG, said he would not be applying to make oral submissions but gave an indication that written submissions were likely to be made on Monday, November 22 instead.
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These law firms hired by the politicians are as useless as the politicians themselves. However just like the politicians they are excellent at emptying the government coffers. Just more BVI Love. Sir Gary send in your report and end this madness.
Does Silk know how to do this? They are described as a 4th rate outfit in a third world country..
My report was basically written before I arrived, with my criminal
Law breaking team, and I don’t need the AG to get in the way do the report that Gus wrote for me.
This will be an excellent opportunity for us all to see the quality of the work that the Government is getting from “Old Man & Lil’ Boy” Law Firm. The strength of this submission will indeed show us how well our tax-dollars have been spent. Pass the Popcorn peeps – it’s about to go down.
Give me a break, we both know what it will be..victim, slavery, bully, colonialism, a bunch of street level bullf**k!
Paranoid
It’s all just one further example of the low, or, more appropriately, non existent standards we see in the BVI governmental process, there is little more to see or state at this juncture. The sad reality, is, there is little or no hope of the BVI being allowed to govern itself successfully hereon. Had the various government personal actually accepted they were wrong there might have been some light at the end of the tunnel, but, that has clearly has not been the case. They have tried to defend there inappropriate behavior to the point they would rather go down with ship than seek some form of exoneration or forgiveness for their actions. There can surely be no absolution under these conditions.
You are spot on. Doing something wrong, owning it and show a desire to correct and improve is how honorable people succeed in righting a wrong. This group of buffoon’s have done nothing but call out racism and colonialism. Here’s something they all might want to note. We our fathers and grandfathers were not slaves nor did we own slaves. Sooooo give that racist s**t a rest.