Speaker withdraws injunction; now taking legal action against AG
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Julian Willock has withdrawn his court injunction against three Commission of Inquiry (COI) attorneys and will now be going after Attorney General (AG), Dawn Smith.
Willock’s injunction sought to block the COI trio from continuing legal work for the Commission unless and until they’ve been called to the BVI Bar. However, the presiding judge in the matter, Justice Adrian Jack, ruled that Willock has “no general power of public authorities to obtain such injunctions” and will therefore need the AG’s permission to move forward with the matter.
In a ZBVI interview today, the Speaker’s attorney, Richard Rowe from Silk Legal indicated that his client wrote to AG Smith asking for urgent permission, which he needed ahead of the court hearing this week.
“The Speaker wrote to the Attorney General asking her to respond within a certain time. She gave no response to his letter, we are instructed,” Rowe stated.
“Given the understanding of Justice Jack’s order, we — on our client’s direction — withdrew the application,” the Speaker’s attorney added.
Under law, the Attorney General was the person to appoint the three COI attorneys in the first place. But considering that she voiced her belief that the trio should have sought to be called to the BVI Bar before commencing work for the COI, Willock is now seeking to nullify her appointment of the three COI lawyers.
“We will be taking an action against the Attorney General for a declaration from the court that her appointment of these persons to the COI, before they have been admitted to the Bar, is void. It should never have happened so it should be treated as void,” Rowe stated.
The COI attorneys in question — Bilal Rawat, Rhea Harrikissoon, Andrew King — retroactive applied to practice law in the BVI months after commencing their work for the Inquiry.
Rowe has described this action as criminal since it breaches the territory’s Legal Professions Act.
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DISTRACTION!
DISTRACTION!
DISTRACTION!
Listen to me! Don’t look behind the curtain! Listen to me!
This is our tax payers dollars hard at work. Obviously we have excess money to spend.
Nah, no, how come? Thought, didn’t the NDP empty the safe before they left and left the couffers STONED COLD BROKE?
Sometimes, and especially when it comes down to politics, it appears BVIslanders are truly inept, have feasted on stuupid bush and is totally backwards mentally, intellectually and politically lazy when it comes to vetting and chosing their political leaders.
Their only home work done on a candidate is whether they like him/her or not and what family he/she come from. 1930 and 40’s template for electing a person to office.
And, when intelligent people see this obtuse behavior cycle after cycle, form and enounciate poor opinions of BVIslanders, we are quick to become offended, not knowing or caring to know why.
Who you like should not be criterion for getting your vote, but how prepared are you intellectually, politically and especally morally to enter office.
Unfortunatelly, those critical three standards took a vacation last cycle.
The truth is, this current team looked reasonably goog on paper with regards to education. But, if the public had done their home work, they would have found things to think about, even if they had given the x eventually.
I gave mine, and at the moment, am working with tempered judgement, but an avalanche of disappointment lurks.
Perhaps expectations were raised to high by people and family you were close to, respected and revered, only to become invisible, insignificant and unworthy. Frankly, that hurts deep.
I’ve never been to a c ¡rcu$ , but apparently one has come to me LOL
HE JUMPING ON WHO HE THINK HE COULD BEAT
Look at what he was trying to do to KP. Dead wrong but want to jump on the woman and try to make her look like the bad person.
Bet he won’t mess with her again.
Is responsible for this absolute circus orchestrated by the ‘Honorable’ Speaker in this banana republic.. millions of public dollars being spent on absolute nonsense!
Heheheeee wellll sah, watch he face.
So how exactly does this work out?
Who exactly is taking the AG to court?
What a country sows that is shall also reap. We had no business electing the VIP to lead our country. None! We got caught up with all the wrong things. Our habit of making decisions based on gossip and lies continue to be our down fall. The Premier was calling corruption when he was in the opposition and now we are seeing who really is corrupt. Within two years of being elected they have the UK threatening to take over our country. Look at what is happening with this speaker who should have never been made speaker because of his checkered past. Look at the laughing stock that our country has become. Make better choices. We elected a set of misfits with no track record of ever doing anything and now the country is going to h**l fast.
The BVI made the right choice. There were 2 main parties and NDP had 8 straight years of blunders. 16 of the last 20 years of foolishness. They could not be rewarded again for their sins. It was time to try something else regardless. The Pier park, BVI Airways, The lack of attention to rebuilding the High School after Irma, Hospital overspend, hiring CSS to run the ports etc. Too many things to bring up. VIP were mostly new comers so they weren’t the same VIP of years ago so it wasn’t outrageous to have hope for a new beginning. We couldn’t continue on the same road so it isn’t the people’s fault for voting for a change it is all on NDP. If they were doing even a semi good job they wouldn’t have been replaced.
I believe something is wrong with your reasoning skills.
I listened to those issues being played out before the COI and I am satisfied with the responses given by the NDP ministers so I am not sure why you are still beating these dead horses. Sit back and listen to the now government. I believe what happened last election was the vip told a lot of untruths to the people about these projects under the NDP because I still can’t see the corruption in them that Fahie was talking about. I however see clearly the corruption allegedly in what Fahie and his government has been involved in.
The worse of all is that Fahie too had a checkered past. The UK and other Governments would have an eye on him but not the people of his country. They blind to reality and he has sufficiently and systematically dummed down most of them via the school system. They go and make him Premier. Of course antennas will go up and efforts will scramble to keep a keen eye and to right that wrong. No way would the UK, having the duty of oversight of the VI, make its presence known with Fahie as Premier.
And Andrew bold as ever made moves early on in his role as Premier, that indicates he up to no good. He seems to be convinced that folks are stupid and blind and are all graduates of DeVry.
The worse of all is that Fahie too had a checkered past. The UK and other Governments would have an eye on him but not the people of his country. They blind to reality and he has sufficiently and systematically dummed down most of them via the school system. They go and make him Premier. Of course antennas will go up and efforts will scramble to keep a keen eye and to right that wrong. No way would the UK, having the duty of oversight of the VI, make its presence known with Fahie as Premier.
And Andrew bold as ever made moves early on in his role as Premier, that indicates he up to no good. He seems to be convinced that folks are stupid and blind and are all graduates of DeVry.
When will this madness ends? What kind of mission is this man on? Mr. Premier, you on loaded a ticking time bomb on us when you appoint that man as Speaker of the house. REMEMBER MR.PREMIER, THIS IS ON YOUUUUU. THE SPEAKER IS GOING TO TAKE YOU DOWN WITH HIM.THE PEOPLE IS NOT GOING TO ELECT YOU BACK IN OFFICE AND I HAVE MONEY RIDING ON THAT.
@When – It’s not exactly Mission: Impossible…
But very much is Mission: Ego.
He going to mess with the AG NOW? Dude you better leave that SLEEPING LIONESS ALONE. Good luck with that.
I guess no one ever told him you NEVER POKE OR DISTURB A SLEEPING LIONESS. He will learn that very soon when he get the MEMO.
Don’t worry, the people got hoodwinked. You live and learn right? The VIP already dug their grave. There is no way VIP will get back in office. If by chance they do, then something is wrong with us and we need our heads examined.
The VIP Government has caused a whole lot of problems for the Country. We are the laughing stock to the outside World.No one takes us seriously.
Now that the AG refuse to bend to the nonsense injunction. The financier, is in fact directing monies to attack the AG.
Our Primier is a snake in the grass ready to bite any and everyone in his way.
The man is even trying to persuade people not to testify to the COI. Using all kind of scare mongering and even direct threats to persons who he knows have access to information that would implicate him.
People of the Virgin Islands, be warned, as I have witness it first hand. This current Premier is a very d***erous person. Be mindful who you vote for.
Richard Rowe should be ashamed of himself, I really thought he was bigger than this utter nonsense!!!!!
Why did you think he was bigger than that? He has done nothing of any value in this case.
His client seems to be one of those who do not take their lawyer’s advice. Tis Willock he dealing with..
As long as the money coming good,I would let Willock do as he wish..nothing b to lose here for
Rowe. His reputation as a lawyer of substance wot be dis-affected.
It is obvious that his client is missing a few s***ws.
So let me get this straight. The Speaker and his Lawyers didn’t know that the AG is the one that has the power to bring such actions and just brought them anyway? Now they are seeking action against her? What the F**K is going on in this place?
August 31, 2021 at 8:36 AM
His arrogance and self im***tance is beyond the pale. He needs a good dressing down. The entire injunction needs to be rubbish without prejudice. Lets see if he can follow the judges order by the 4 pm deadline tomorrow.
He has no standing here and the Attorney General is not going to tarnish her rep following this n***issist down a rabbit hole.
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What a joke. I knew this was coming. LOL. The Attorney General gave him a 6 for a 9. LOL. I knew she was not going to follow this mad man down a rabbit hole.
LOL. He can take aim at the Attorney General all he wishes, she will still be there when he leaves, and most importantly, the 3 lawyers he has issues with will continue their work with the COI.
This guy is a piece of work. He needs help..lots of help.
What kind of AG is this? Appointing before they called to BVI Bar?
“We will be taking an action against the Attorney General for a declaration from the court that her appointment of these persons to the COI, before they have been admitted to the Bar, is void. It should never have happened so it should be treated as void,” Rowe stated.”
It’s obvious. They don’t need legally to be admitted to the bar.
That doesn’t prevent them from applying.
I can do is SMDH. This guy is OUT OF CONTROL AND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED IN HIS TRACKS. But it goes back to the Premier. He is the one that is allowing the Speaker to do and get away with what he is doing.
I agree he is out of control, as well as the premier is allowing his circle to do as they wish. Fahie needs to take a stance and put his house in order. The behavior of these leaders is downright embarrassing to the entire BVI standard.
Hogs know exactly what part of the mud to wallow in. The Speaker is continuing to test the water temperature IE.. hot cold or warm and he will soon find out what temperature the water really is.CARRY ON DUDE, CARRY ON.
IN THE HOUSE / IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING ? THE ESTEEMED IS FLEXING HIS ? AGAIN , STEP OUT OF BLONDIE’S WAY, ITS SHOW TIME ? LETS GET IT ON
This is a disgrace! I am ashamed of the level of leadership in our country. I lay this all at the feet of Premier Fahie. This shows his lack of leadership ability and skills.
I want to laugh but cant because of just the thought that its the same people who hire this guy that making decisions that affect all of us for right now.
They’re in a panic, running scared !!!
Ms. “Watchman” Decastro, we are not hearing from you. You have been relegated or fade to obscurity. Your voice carries weight; you got the most votes. Your silence means you are complicit. Put country before political aspirations. We need you!!
Carry what weight? The voters cast their X last time against Myron, not FOR VIP, there’s a difference! Hon. de Castro will be teaching somewhere after next elections and not in HOA, you can take that to the bank and cash it twice. She is the Jr. Minister of Tourism and not one word. Notice they had a big meeting a few nights ago at the college speaking about cruise tourism etc. Where was the Minister of Tourism? Where was Hon. de Castro? The only time you see or hear her is for a photo op or a poetry contest.
I do not agree with you one bit on this. The NDP party split into two parties. If that never happened the NDP would have formed the government again. If you look at the election results it is very clear. It is those who lost the NDP leadership elections is who who cause the problem.
I hope Ms DeCastro stays out of the politics for the sake of preserving her own sanity. It is a clown show.
She is already an elected politician. How can you wish she stays out of politics. Help me make sense.
Look up literal vs figurative.
When is the bext election ?
What’s the point of all of this? If it was the speaker of the house personal money paying for this, he would not have kept pushing this.
This speaker is unst**le, a ticket time bomb, the signs are very clear, now is the time to give him a long vacation, let him go and relax his brain and calm his temper down…
All you bloggers are missing the point. I wonder who is really posting these comments. The fact of the matter is it doesn’t matter how arrogant the speaker may appeared. Its doesn’t matter if he filed his matter incorrectly. what matters here is the respect for the laws of the territory. No person, red or yellow, black or white should be allowed to come to the BVI and trample on the laws of the land. The lawyers are indeed practicing law, some of you all need to get that through you all thick skull and understand what is the meaning of practicing law. The law states that you first must apply and be admitted to practice law in the territory. Failure to do so commits a criminal offence. The AG clearly states that the trio should be admitted to the bar before practicing law. Having said this, how could she then say that she has no objection in them applying to be admitted after belatedly? Are you serious? Three lawyers have clearly committed a criminal act and it is the AG intention to allow them to continue practicing law here? What a mockery to the institution of justice in this territory. I wonder if a lawyer from the islands come here and commit this offence what would be the outcome? If you ask me I think the right thing to do is have those three lawyers barred from practicing law here, reject their application if they apply because they have already committed a criminal offence and blatantly disrespect the laws of the land, then the the commission should be instructed to have them be replaced by three new lawyers only after they have applied and approval given Only the should the COI be continued.. Anything less would make the BVI look like the comedy capital of the Caribbean when it comes to upholding the laws .Here it is the COI main reason is to see if there is wrongdoing transparency good governance and accountability in government and the Commission itself is engaging in wrongdoing breaking the laws of the land and are allowed to continue? I am not a lawyer or a lawman. I am a layman and ordinary resident of this territory. If i can uphold the law for 31 years every person should have a duty to do the same. Where are the voices of the legal minds in the BVI all you learned council vocal local activist? i find that you are all very quiet on this one. This should not be allowed to just be swept under the rug.
What you mean it doesn’t matter that he filed correctly? So according to the Speaker, it doesn’t matter that him and other elected officials filed declarations of interests late, it doesn’t matter that he filed the injunction without the standing to do so, but we think there’s a major problem with the lawyers asking questions but not being called to the bar? The AG was the one who appointed the 3 lawyers to the COI so why didn’t the speaker, the lawyers or the AG herself concerned then? The Speaker has a track record of failure, from Mark Vanterpool saga come right down and tax payers continue to fund this circus.
EXACTLY!! People fail to isolate the drama of the COI inquiry from the separate issue that BVI laws have actually been broken. BVI laws are in place for a reason. Obviously it makes sense now why the AG does not object to the admissions. It is because she is the one that appointed them in the first place, evidence of her lack of knowledge in BvI laws. Where has she practised as an attorney again please and what were some of her landmark cases. Not coming at the AG but we have to be real, something is amiss. She is a thinking woman. If she agreed to the injunction, then that would have been an admission of her own error and lack of, I dont want to say, lack of competence and she knows this. The actions being brought by Silk to nullify the appointments as VOID is the correct action to take. We want fairness, justice and transparency in relation to the COI but he who comes to equity, must come with clean hands. You cannot commit a crime and then accuse someone else of committing one. It just does not work that way. Address your own criminal behaviour first. People head seem to be thick.
The question remains, are the 3 COI lawyers practicing law? This is an enquiry. There have been no charges laid against anyone. Nobody is prosecuting or defending.
Please, someone from an independent legal background, tell us if this is ‘practicing’ law.
No it isn’t.
No. It’s not practicing law. Otherwise the members of the HOA would need to be lawyers.
Not a lawyer at all but I agree that the investigation and questioning work being carried out by Mr Rawat and the other lawyers are not necessarily practicing law. However my question is, does their appointment as Counsel to the Commissioner as well and their engaging in matters before the Commission as it pertains to legal questions considered practicing law? Would be grateful for one of the legal luminaries to respond.
My same contention. However, they were appointed as lawyers for the Commission by the AG. Therefore, they are lawyers for all intent and purposes, but do not need to be called to the bar, since their appointment will be deemed as legal officers.
Yes it is
Willock is that you?
If appearing in a commission of enquiry counts as “practising law” – why isn’t Hickinbottom being charged?
Any reasonable definition of practising law would involve representing in a court, advising clients for money or pro bono, writing legal opinions etc. none of which apply here.
But I am married to one! She just pointed out that jurors are not required to be lawyers.
The consensus is,according to my understanding,they are not,in current role, practicing law and either way,that their application to the bar became moot because they were appointed by the A G.
This speaker is uns***le, a ticket time bomb, the signs are very clear, now is the time to give him a long vacation, let him go and relax his brain and calm his temper down…
Just today I saw in the news where the UN is telling the UK to back off, these people who are getting involved in our affairs and don’t know what the hell is going. The speaker of the house is out of order and since the Premier won’t do anything about it the governor should step in. Someone needs to make Willock pay for the legal fees, in this case, Richard Rowe is right there with him because it’s easy money for him. This alone should show the COI that this government is not fit to carry on running the BVI government, shame on all of you who stand behind this p** headed person.
They are going through the tax payers money like it is their personal ATM.
I hope the speaker of the house is paying for this himself, he already cost us so much money trying to stop the Honarable Mark Vanterpool from swearing in.
I with JW that AG must stand up for the laws for the BVI that is her role.
We with Willock hands down
It’s great to hear that they are going to be sworn in. This means that next time Mr Speaker is in contempt of court they can throw is A%% in Jail. AGAIN.
WE HAVE TO KICK THE PREMIER TO THE CURB ASAP. HE TURNED LOOSE A M***TER ON THE PEOPLE OF THE BVI. THE PREMIER IS A VERY D****ROUS MAN IN SHEEPS CLOTHING. THEN GOT THE NERVE TO HIDE BEHIND THE UNIVERSE. MEEEE?!!!!!. I NEVER SAID OR RECALL THAT, I WOULD NEVER SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS HIS FAVORITE WORDS. KING L**R AT HIS BEST.
But we use to retroactively fix our errors, even if it takes a special sitting of the House. How come the Deputy Speaker of all persons agreeing to block UK lawyers from fixing their oversight or oversight of AG? Precedence set? What does Rowe think?
The Deputy Speaker is a d**n sh*** grazing on the hillside oblivious to anything that is going on around him. I said it and whatttt.
There are too many people running a small island that is why so many conflicts.
ONE THING I’M GLAD FOR , OUR AG IS A “LOCAL” IF SHE WAS A OUTSIDER, HER CONTRACT WOULD BE TERMINATED .
ANDY PANDY AND HIS PARTNER IN C***E IS READING THE BLOGS. WE WANT YOU TWO GONE LIKE YESTERDAYS GARBAGE. AND I WANT MY VEHICLES BACK THAT I AM PAYING FOR.
Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Do you see an Alice General in Wonderland, staring through her looking glass… at a mad hatter?
Soon we will taking some stronger stuff to stop the hallucinations that started when we took the weaker stuff.
It’s quite simple, the Speaker spendin out hard earned tax money without the authority to do so.
It is time for Mr Willock to resign. How can we call him Honourable Speaker, when his actions are certainly not honourable!!
Don’t know about anyone else, but I will NEVER! give that man the respect by calling him HONORABLE SPEAKER. you have to earn your respect and he has NONE WHATSOEVER FOR ANYONE. HIS D*** BEHAVIOR IS …
The speaker and the Premier need to go on a very long extended vacation, PERHAPS TO THE CONGO. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.
If it’s Willock against Smith, my money is on Smith – a quick and beautifully executed knock-out in the first round!
If it’s Willock against Smith, then my money is on Hickenbottom. One thinks that they are a lawyer and there are law students who obtained more experience in their internships than the AG has in her career.
Bvinews you really nerd to get your facts straight before printing these stories. Was Justice Jack the presiding judge at the time when the matter was discontinued? Was a ruling made by Justice Jack or was it a draft ruling. You guys really need to do better to provide accurate information. At least try to get information from more than one party because it seems like you did not do this.
Wow, Joules is an idiot. Is it responsible to approve financing this A**-Clown’s exercise in futility?
I am anxiously awaiting the appearance and work performance of Atty Rawatt. A joy to watch and to listen to.
Sorry should have been thumbs up. Waiting anxiously myself…he is a boss interrogator.
A pure waste of time. The Speaker and his team has to standings to attempt to nullify the AG’s action. The trio were duly appointed and a court will deem a practicing certificate was duly issued.
The Speaker’s BS is pure distraction. His appointment should be revoked forthwith. As far as I am concerned, he is just conspiring with others to bl**d the treasury.
How many court cases has he lost so far and yet the Premiere and other powers that be are blinded? REVOKE HIS APPOINTMENT NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!