BVI News

Still no Withers Law report on COI! Malone concerned

Former Health & Social Development Minister Carvin Malone

Territorial-At-Large Representative Carvin Malone said he will bring forth several issues to the next sitting of the House of Assembly including the need for the report by Withers Law Firm on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) hearing.

In a recent interview on JTV 55 News, Malone noted that the law firm had defended the government well during the hearing, but the government paid a lot of money for their representation and is yet to receive a report which was part of the agreed terms.

Withers Law Firm was contracted by the BVI government to represent Cabinet members during the COI hearing last year.

“We need to know that we spent millions of dollars to the law firm of Withers who engaged Geoffrey Cox, to produce a report, a parallel report to see if the findings of the COI were equal to Withers. They have gathered all the materials and they defended us well during the COI and the only thing missing in the report. We paid for the report, and we need the report,” Malone said.

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley had previously noted the legal fees paid to Withers law firm were initially pegged at $2,437,751.50 but the law firm was later paid a further sum of $4,689,531.52 in legal fees for the three-month extended period of the COI.

Meanwhile, the Opposition legislator also said he will not simply put to rest the issue regarding the intent behind the controversial “Policing in Paradise” leaked to the public recently.

“I would seek to address several issues because we have concerns being raised on the derogatory remarks that were placed in a particular film by the Commissioner of Police. The Commissioner cannot investigate himself. We need to know if anything more was to this that was more than a recruitment video,” Malone said.

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28 Comments

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  1. Pig mouth says:

    Wait, hold up!! The popcorn expert find his voice now???? LMAO!!!! For a grown BIG HARD BACK man, he acts like a spoiled brat with his petty faebook posts. I still can’t believe he help the position that he did. Ok p¡ggy get your snout in that popcorn bag LOL LOL

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
    • Wait, What?! says:

      A parallel report? Really!! LOL!!

      Criminals should now produce their parallel case conclusions.
      Students their parallel grades and
      Crazy people their parallel psychiatrics assessments.

      This is beyond crazy.

      Like 20
  2. BuzzBvi says:

    Why did you need defending. You should have been helping with information for what was an inquiry. The accused need defending. You should have helped gather information and stopped what you were doing which was defending the right to hide all the wrongb doings. Why did the people of the VI Have To Pay for that? What were you defending but but your own corrupt system.

    Like 29
    • Sara-Jane Banshee says:

      Maybe he should call the mean witch who works for Withers. She was so rude and nasty when answering questions from Bilal, you would think she $h¡+$ gold and Diamond chunks and is better than everyone else. Nasty wretch

      Like 7
      Dislike 4
      • @Sara-Jane Banshee says:

        You are no better calling her a witch. How disrespectful. If she was a man would you have made the same remarks? The were condescending and the lady was asserting herself. There is a sexist undertone to your comment.

        Like 1
        Dislike 1
    • Think... says:

      It wasn’t just an inquiry of the pre-planned outcome was to dissolve the constitution. It was more than that.

      Like 2
      Dislike 14
  3. Trevor says:

    Sorry, but your run in politics is over.

    Like 20
    Dislike 1
  4. WELL WELL says:

    PLEASE DON`T GET ME WRONG.
    While I think that this Minister is saying the right things now, What happened, and why didn`t he speak up when he was in the Ministry. When his boss was running things. All these late concerns make him look selfish.
    We need to work together, pull your tail between your legs and fight with others for the Country.
    These Independent battles not working.

    Like 16
    Dislike 1
  5. BS! says:

    “…they defended us well…” which must have been almost impossible, considering how evil, corrupt and shameless you all were.
    You should be asking for the investigations, the charges, the judgements, the paybacks, and the incarcerations – not the stupid report Carvin. You spuffed over $7m on lawyers to defend the indefensible.

    Like 35
    Dislike 2
    • Albion says:

      For nearly $7,000,000 in BVI taxpayer’s money, I would hope that they did their job well.

      Like 15
      • hmm says:

        Did you watch the COI? I did not see them doing 7 million worth of anything and I watched quite a bit of the COI. I am calling WASTE OF TAXPAYER $$

  6. Amazing says:

    Amazing how many more concerns Malone has now he ain’t in charge of fixing any of them…

    Like 22
  7. Withers says:

    What a waste of the Public’s money. What use is a parallel report? The findings of the COI are binding, whether you like them or not. How much is Fahie paying you to continue the argument with the UK? Either the BVI implements the recommendations, or there will be direct rule from the UK. The clock is ticking!

    Like 32
    Dislike 1
    • Parallel says:

      There should be a parallel report for the sake for fairness. What is equitable. This is a concept that was developed under English law. What was not stated is whether a conversation was had with Withers and what Withers’ response is.

      Dislike 12
  8. Whaaaat???! Hilarious says:

    So, the COI reforms overall are moving too quickly apparently, and he complaining that the Withers report isn’t moving quick enough. I am sure he wishes these problems were the other way around…

    Like 14
  9. Keep the Pressure on them says:

    Carvin. Thank you very much for keeping the pressure on them. For making sure tax payers get value for many. Don’t understand why every body in the BVI so money greedy and think they smart. Stay on it Carvin. Never too late to do the right thing..

    Like 2
    Dislike 19
  10. 2030 says:

    A BIG EMPTY Head!

    Like 10
  11. Amazing says:

    We live in a VI era where people have no regard for integrity, values … How can this man show his face in such capacity “It is now we are in the woods “ Wolves are tearing us right , left and center . Where were you when the biggest wolf of all under the cloak of Christianity was selling out our country to cartels . All hell is breaking loose
    Leaders against leaders ; white against black ; black against white; local against expatriate; expatriate against locals , leaders creating identity crisis with their beliefs ; country has dipped into reserve ; no more money for district leaders to help constitutions ; Governor blatantly lying ; food prices going through the roof; business growth very low ; people leaving the country ; a slew of people retiring or moving out from work place ; Reforms over our head, NUG now know they made a mistake … mallet over Wheatley head . How worse can we get ? Everybody getting quiet pulling in their shell except for a few activist ….

    Like 20
  12. You can't handle the truth says:

    Carvin, withers report would come out with the same outcome as the COI. Maybe they are trying to spare your blushes

  13. Withering says:

    Will the government publish the withers report, can the public be given the opportunity to cross reference conclusions and documentary evidence etc. I somehow doubt it will be deemed necessary too embarrassing. Surely for $8,000000 Withers could come up with a directors cut change the ending.

  14. ?? says:

    No commissioner No!

  15. Refund says:

    would be more appropriate from Withers than a Report. Their ‘defence’ of the HOA Cabinet members was extremely unsuccessful so why were they paid the $7+ million BEFORE the CoI report was released? Intelligent clients would pay a small deposit(10%) to their legal reps and then withhold final payment until after the results of the CoI were released.

    Like 11
  16. MD says:

    And then what? Waste of taxpayers money. Pity funds not used on Schools, roads, sewage, water. Another disgrace.

    Like 10
  17. LOL says:

    This man just talking pure pi** now and doing everything to try and undermine the unity governmemt. Guess he holding serious grudges.

  18. Bus Driver says:

    Mr. Malone you’re in the back seat now…stay there with your mouth shut until we ready to kick you outside the bus.

  19. Sleeping dogs says:

    So the members of the former government want a parallel report to help in the upcoming criminal investigations, eh? Be careful what you ask for.

    In any event, that report (if it materializes) should be sent to the Governor first.

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