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Speaker files court injunction against COI legal team

HOA Speaker Julian Willock (centre) and his two attorneys from Silk Legal. The law firm is representing Willock and non-Cabinet members of the House in the ongoing Commission of Inquiry.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Julian Willock has filed an injunction to block three Commission of Inquiry (COI) attorneys from conducting any further “legal work” for the inquiry until they have been called to the BVI Bar.

An injunction is effectively a judicial order restraining a person from beginning or continuing to carry out a certain act.

The three COI attorneys being blocked are Bilal Rawat, Andrew King, and Rhea Harrikissoon — all of whom make up the COI’s legal team hired to offer support to Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom.

Months after commencing work for the COI, the attorneys in question retroactively submitted applications to be admitted to the BVI Bar.

The Speaker filed an objection to those applications, arguing that the COI trio breached the territory’s Legal Professions Act by practising law in the BVI before being approved to do so. However, the attorneys reportedly questioned whether the Speaker had the standing to make such an objection.

“The court ruled last month that we did have standing and set a trial date for the case in October of this year. We had also raised other concerns which I’m not at liberty to disclose at this point as the matter is live before the court,” Willock announced in a press conference Wednesday morning.

“Last week, I had further instructed Silk Legal (the law firm representing the Speaker) to file an injunction to prevent the three Commission of Inquiry lawyers — Rawat, King and Harrikissoon — from doing any more legal work associated with the Commission of Inquiry until the judge rules after the October trial,” the Speaker added.

Willock further said he and his team have also sought a determination from the court as to whether it is lawful for attorneys, who have not been admitted to practise law in the Virgin Islands, to be appointed to act as barristers and/or solicitors in any commission of inquiry.

They will also seek to find out from the court if it is lawful for attorneys not admitted to the BVI bar to carry out legal duties in relation to commissions of inquiry.

“If the courts decide that points One and Two are not lawful, there will be, naturally, consequential orders which I am not at liberty to discuss at present,” Willock said.

The Speaker told members of the media that his only interest as the head of the House of Assembly — the highest law-making body in the BVI — is that everyone complies with the territory’s laws.

He and his attorneys further made it clear that their intention is not to have the COI discontinued in any way.

EDITORIAL: COI’s belated attempts to admit its attorneys to BVI bar undermines the Inquiry?

Follow BVI New’s coverage of the 2021 Commission of Inquiry on Instagram @BVINewsOnline #TrackingTransparency at www.bvinews.com.

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57 Comments

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  1. Rubber Duck says:

    Who is paying the legal costs for all of this?

    We the taxpayers?

    Like 41
    Dislike 4
    • Willock’s left nut says:

      The man on the ropes and trying every bit of trickery to avoid the obvious conclusions. He desperate!

      Like 37
      Dislike 1
    • If says:

      If stupidity was a commodity that could be sold, the BVI would be the richest entity on the planet.

      Like 28
    • To Rubber Duck says:

      It is amazing how one race is always right and gets support from you slave mentality bloggers even when the law says they are wrong.

      Like 3
      Dislike 9
    • To Rubber Duck says:

      So you are concern if tax payers are paying but what about being concerns if our rights as citizens and our laws in the BVI are being trampled on by these persons who have no regard for our people or laws and will never have any regards for us because they look at us as inferior to them.

      • @to rubber duck says:

        you are correct about being concerned if our rights as citizens and our laws in the BVI are being trampled on by these persons who have no regard for our people or laws and will never have any regards for us because WE VOTED THEM IN

        Like 7
        Dislike 1
    • Expected says:

      Did we expect anything less from the esteemed one? Standard procedure for him, filing frivolous, nuisance law suits and clogging up the court calendar. We’ve seen this from him before.
      How Trumpesque of him.

  2. sich ah dem says:

    This is what we get for electing the VIP. A egotistical b***oon who thinks more of himself than he is. They have brought our country to disgrace. Who is paying for all these stupid legal cases he continue to bring?

    Like 101
    Dislike 4
    • @ sich ah dem says:

      haters out but thank god for the esteemed we are proud of him

      Like 5
      Dislike 99
    • Really says:

      Taxpayers money and he continuously allows to do so…

      Like 41
      Dislike 1
      • Edmund says says:

        … finally the Speaker does something sensible.

        Like 7
        Dislike 86
        • Whhhhat?? says:

          Sensible ?!? Have you even watched any of the COI interviews ?? Willock is the most unprofessional individual that I have ever seen represent a nation. Is Willock terrified that he’s going to feel the repercussions of the COI investigation?

          Like 65
          Dislike 2
    • Resident says:

      and the CoI’s costs when he loses because an investigation is not the practice of law.

      Like 47
      Dislike 1
      • Joseph says:

        Good point.

      • To Resident says:

        The way people like you think would cause us to go back to being enslaved. The larger issue that you paid bloggers are trying to get our minds off of is clearly if these UK Lawyers broke the law or not. It is clear that they did but because of who they are the law seems not to apply. This is the sad part.

        Like 2
        Dislike 7
        • Dumb says:

          You need to stop with this slavery shit. Can’t play that card for every situation. Willock is trying to deflect. Did you for get the BVi is still part of the commonwealth ? The lawyers representing the crown am sure have already taken the fact that they are practicing law in the Bvi already .

    • Really says:

      The blonde wig *** thinks he is going to stop the COI? WRONG!! It is clear he has cemented the findings of the COI by this action. This is an investigation and not the practice of law. Anyone can do what Rawat is doing. Just because he holds a law license means nothing. The ***, F*t Albert and the rest are afraid of the next set of hearings which dwell on the theft of government money and illegal land sales. They know the indictments are coming and they piddle in their pants. LOCK THEM UP!!! LOCK THEM UP!!!

      Like 57
      Dislike 1
  3. ... says:

    love him or hate him he got balls

    Like 7
    Dislike 66
    • Fight or flight says:

      Like a mouse when cornered by a cat. He’s not quick enough to flee, so he TRIES to grow balls so he can fight to the very end. That’s where this is heading.

      Like 29
  4. Thankyou says:

    Willock is making Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom’s decision very simple. Any doubt about the UK taking back control has gone.

    Like 54
    Dislike 2
    • Peace says:

      I do hope they take back control. The B.V.I. needs a fresh start both from this present bunch and from the ones they replaced.

      Both groups are crooked

  5. Hmm says:

    Sound like more wasting of public funds fighting legal battles he cant win. Anyhow ayo take what ayo get… Vote like ayo have sense next election.

    Like 60
    Dislike 1
  6. Kangroo says:

    When this COI is over, penalized and the BVI disgraced by the actions of the politicians and their personal egos, the people will have to live with the decisions imposed.

    Politicians, and this speaker have their bread well buttered, so at the end of the day we at the bottom continue to suffer.

    Like 50
    Dislike 2
  7. John says:

    This cl**n aint tired costing us money

    Like 25
    Dislike 2
  8. Law is Law says:

    I applaud Willock for this. Those people are not above the LAw. The laws of the BVI stands and goes for each and every individual that touches down on these lands that i call home.

    If Rawat, King and Harrikissoon are breaking the laws of the BVI then it need to be addressed.

    I don’t care who vex, the law is the law and NO ONE going come to this territory and break our laws

    Like 8
    Dislike 61
    • Dummy says:

      You are a fool

      Like 35
      Dislike 1
    • bvi says:

      So you saying the law is the law, Willock is the same one who have an security company and did not have any trade license last time i check the law say you must have an trade license when opening an business, …all of them are scared cause they all know the crap they doing is not right, can’t wait till the COi return and put some of them in ***

      Like 15
  9. PT9 says:

    Julian Willock doesn’t know his place who the h**l is he to think that he can stop or prolong the COI. The people are doing an inquiry it’s not a court of law as yet and even when it becomes a hearing if you think you can stop the UK you are very much out of your mind. What happens with the UK lawyers Andrew Fahie hired? are you stopping them too?. Are you paying the lawyers for your foolish actions? or is it the taxpayers again? You guys look more and guilty every day, when you act like this you are showing you have things to hide. You and the government are an embarrassment to the BVI. I hope when this is all over you guys will have to pay back all your legal fees to the court and back where it belongs.

    Like 36
    Dislike 1
  10. LOL says:

    can see how this going to end up. Silk legal couldnt argue there way out of a paper bag.

    Like 43
  11. Want2Kno says:

    Was Willock elected by the PEOPLE?

    Like 29
  12. GOAT says:

    Look how easy it is to fool people.The BVI is done.

    Like 14
  13. Ya awl says:

    There are plenty lawyers here ready to assist the COI. This injunction is a waste of the taxpayers money!

    Like 26
  14. Unbelievable says:

    The level of incompetence of these people of genuinely alarming. An unelected person, engaging lawyers at the tax payers’ cost to file an injunction. I will defeat that injunction right here – I hope Mr Speaker will refund the taxpayer for the wasted expense and time:

    Mr Speaker – you might want to ask your counsel to dig out BVI Claim No. BVIHCV2021/0178.

    I literally rest my case. I would withdraw your application before you incur further embarrassment and costs (which were never yours to spend).

    Like 42
    Dislike 1
  15. WOW says:

    Cannot believe that persons will disagree with this approach considering that a BVI law was breached.
    We cannot advocate for doing doing the “right” thing and in the same breath, object to a lawful approach.

    This is not about if the Government/Oppositions members are guilty but rather adhering to what is lawful.

    Like 4
    Dislike 38
  16. hog city says:

    boosie willock we with you. we are not the same two blogging hate but trust we with you on this and many more

    Like 5
    Dislike 39
  17. GTFOH says:

    The one time Willock did something right y’all against him because of who he is. Right is right, wrong is wrong no matter who it offends. The laws are clear. You can’t be judge and breaking the laws at the same time. Nobody is above the laws unless it’s in a communist territory. The fact that they are retroactively trying to be admitted to the Bar is an indication that they know they did something wrong.

    Like 4
    Dislike 31
    • Wrong word says:

      Not retroactively, proactively – looking forward to what’s next.

      Like 1
      Dislike 2
    • @GTFOH says:

      When the COI resumes in a few weeks with the same lawyers I guess they will refuse to be interviewed? This will not stall the progress of the COI. If people understood what a COI is and the powers the Governor has in such cases then they wont agree with this rubbish. The Speaker and friends are targeting the bottom of the barrel people who will drink this type of koolaid.

      Like 4
      Dislike 1
  18. MK says:

    @Law is Law No one is breaking the law it’s a Commission of Inquiry set up by the UK and we are an OT of the UK no matter what you say or feel no law has been broken. All the politicians are running scared the best thing for them to do is help with the Inquiry and take things from there you are not going to win and the way you are carrying on only make bad for you. Slick law is no help to you and they know it but if you want to spend the money they will take it.

    Like 23
    Dislike 2
  19. lol says:

    This is funny. Is the COI a legal proceedings or an investigation. Me thinks its an investigation and if there are findings then there may be legal proceedings.

    Any way I am no lawyer nor a silk and neither is Silk lol

    Like 15
    Dislike 2
  20. Heaven help us says:

    That Jamaican lawyer could not even handle a simple question about the payments. All he had to do was tell the journalist to ask Willock.

    Then he started arguing nonsense about his supposedly low fees versus what he says are disadvantages with a UK takeover. Again, he should have thrown this political hot potato into Willock’s lap.

    Like 12
  21. heckler says:

    The VIP top brass put him up to this like how he was the one chosen to keep Mark out of the house of assembly

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  22. Just my 2 cents says:

    The law versus the constitution which shall supersede? The Constitution!

    The Constitution of the BVI give the Governor authority to institute a COI and make the appointment as he sees fit. The Courts in its interpretation of the law and the constitution will agree with the Governor or COI in the interest of justice and public good.

    Sorry Mr Speaker. A waste of public funds. A pity the past Governor failed to revoke your appointment. My mind goes back to the Mark Vanterpool fiasco and the funds wasted then to have him out of the House.

    But then again, is the speaker afraid of the investigative and soon to be prosecutorial competence of the COI lawyers?

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  23. Ugh says:

    He’s such a waste! An embarrassment to the BVI.

    Like 10
    Dislike 2
  24. Rubber duck says:

    Julian Willock will be be vindicated as usual

  25. says:

    That young gentleman in the picture is a Silk lawyer? A fresh graduate? I hope he can handle the pressure.

    Good luck Sir, don’t let Willock bully you!

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  26. Ya awl says:

    How can a person that is not elected by us the tax payers, spend tax payers money. Please can I have access to that cheque book!

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  27. WOW says:

    If a local did what these UK people did they would have been arrested and charged long time. What an unfair world.

    Like 2
    Dislike 7
  28. reporter says:

    A comedy of errors! When is it going to stop? Never in my lifetime have I witnessed this caliber of ignorance being so arrogantly displayed in these beautiful Virgin Islands. Since August 2017 this country has experienced a series of disasters one after the other and in February 2019 another disaster was created with the appointment of the SOH. One fiasco after another because of this “big inflated ego” which doesn’t seem to have no boundaries or any sense of judgment to differentiate between right and wrong. In the final analysis, because of these erratic actions, the taxpayers money are literally being pissed down the drain without any concern or consideration. Is the sole motive of this injunction to prove to the Commissioner and Mr. Rawat that “ we are equals here?” I suppose that time will tell.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1

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