Willock breaches Register of Interests Act but claims otherwise
Despite his many protestations and bombastic claims to the contrary, House Speaker Julian Willock — like several other past and present members of the House of Assembly (HOA) — was found to be in breach of the Register of Interests Act that requires members to declare the businesses and properties they own or are party to.
In his first appearance before the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Friday, Willock repeatedly interrupted the flow of questions and claimed not to recall several elements of his various declarations of interest.
At one stage, Willock told the COI that he was not in breach of the Act and was in a hurry to end his engagement with the COI so neither party’s time was wasted.
Asked early on by COI attorney, Bilal Rawat, whether he had a view on whether compliance with the legislation fell on him or with someone else, Willock responded by saying repeatedly, “I have complied with the Register of Interests Act.”
Early in his evidence, Willock interrupted the questioning by saying: “I don’t want to sound a little assertive or not having the highest respect for this process and you, Mr Commissioner. But If I could just simply cut through the chase and say one thing. There were three filings [done] by myself. The first filing was done on time. The second one was late because I wrote the Registrar a letter, which I have — 12 March — simply saying to her that there was no change from the first time and she wrote back to say, no, according to the Act, I still have to fill it out. So, I filled out the second one which was not late because it satisfied the three-month period and then the third filing was on time.”
“So, for the record, Mr Commissioner,” Willock added, “the Speaker’s declarations have never been late.”
His assertions were later revealed to be uninformed, inaccurate, and misleading.
Through further questioning, it was discovered that he was, in fact, in breach of both Section (3) and Section (7) of the Act. Section (3) effectively requires HOA members to make their declarations into the Register the day they are sworn in and on the anniversary of that date every year thereafter. Section (7) allows for a three-month grace period to make those declarations. Willock breached both sections having submitted his declarations past the prescribed deadlines.
The Speaker later acknowledged and confirmed that several elements of his declarations of interest were inaccurate.
Seeming distrust of documents
In several instances, the Speaker claimed not to have any of the documents that attorney Rawat referred to during questioning. He suggested in those instances that he would have to visit his office and retrieve his records to confirm the particulars brought to his attention as being inaccurate or those that did not comport with his recollection.
“Ok, that’s your version,” Willock said while addressing the Commissioner of Inquiry. “You have presented me with stuff I am unable at this time to verify this stuff that you have presented me with so I cannot sit here and say that there was a breach,” he said when told that his first declaration of interest breached Section (3) of the Act.
Several additional breaches were brought to his attention that received similar responses from the Speaker.
For several items on his declaration of interests, Willock told the COI that it was his secretary who filled out his declaration forms, claiming he only sat with her and offered responses to the questions for her to enter.
Since Willock seemingly distrusted the documents bearing his signature — which the COI presented to him for ease of reference, he was given till 4 pm on Monday, June 21 to write to the Commissioner and verify his breaches.
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The Governor needs to remove this arrogant man from his position.
Foy’s choice of people he has in his inner circle will be his downfall
It seems that there was no written contract between Willock (or any of his DBA trade licenses or any company) but was there an oral agreement and did the self proclaimed Esteemed get paid for any security services provided to the Govt. I suspect we all know the answer, and Willock repeated claims that there was no written contract presumably was an attempt to mislead or misinform.
He think he too clever. Doesnt grasp the difference between a company and a DBA???? LOL. Trade licence with his name on it, he gonna pretend that a bank account in the name of his DBA isnt a bank account for him. Next he will want us to believe if money go into DBA bank account, it didnt go to him!!!
Is the ABA/Company was dormant did they get any stimulus monies?Was any taxes, S.S and NHI was paid?
A loudmouthed unelected p**ding in a f***k.
Is Willock really the best we can do?
What’s disturbing is that people like D£nic€ Cl¡n£ and ma$$@ p@$$@ support the po***er w** wearer and his antics
I just checked the f*** face site and from their recollection of yesterday, I would say they’re VERY delusional over there LOL LOL
Some people on the yellow vi foxnews website is writing and editing his own blogs. But he made a fool out of himself in front of the entire world.
This man has an ego that is out of control and is not doing the BVI any favors.
He wants people who do as they are told. Fahie comes over as a lot smarter than the other blustering buffoons.
But smart does not mean trustworthy and there he comes over as a shifty insincere chancer.
That should hold he. Ignorant and full of pride for a man in a leadership position. Humble yourself Willock. You wouldn’t have allowed this behavior in your house, so what was that all about in another man’s house?
And in the same news, this ain’t your BVI, it’s the UK’s BVI. Them coming, and they coming this time, just like them did in the Turks & C. Islands in 2009.
Brace yourself. We as the people done braced up and see it coming.
@ good becareful what you bracing for talking it but to live it will be a different experience and be saying it Fahie government that has cause the COI its because we finally have someone with back bone to fight for our rights as a government gone are the days of NDP swallowing evrrything and the UK trying to keep the ropes and shackles on our feet.
…thinks he is above the law. This is what happens when posts are filled as favors, instead of people with qualifications. This cronyism in the BVI must end. VIP got to Go. They are all an embarrassment. The one or two who are redeemable better distance themselves from this government. You lay down with dogs you get fleas.
Agreed that cronyims has to go, but VIP does not have a monopoly on cronyism, in case you had not noticed, or forgot.
@Ahem
No, I have not forgotten.
An appalling display from Willock. Like it or not, the Commissioner and his team have been engaged to do a job. The way the speaker conducted himself was r–, arro—, completely unhelpful and an em———– to the BVI.
There also needs to be some serious questions asked about his registers of interest and his business interests. How much has he received from this government, what was the deal with the security etc.
Also, who does he think he is fooling claiming he has no editorial control over VINO? He’s a complete j—.
BIGGEST LAPSIDED JOKER IN THE PACK! LMAOOOOO..!!
You all can’t see something is wrong with this man. He is an embarrassment to the country and is making things worse for the BVI. Those people who are supporting his horrific conduct have lost every sense of understanding and reasoning. I was ashamed as a BVIslander yesterday. He represented the worst in us.
O my I loved your comment well said look at his damn face L–S UPON L–S .SHAME ON YOU
for the first time in my life I was proud to be a virgin islander mehson Julian Willock did well he stood up for all of we.
I voting for him next election point black
You can disagree in a respectful manner.
Blank
This is not the whole story.
What happen to the missing Doc story ?
The doc was absent from the lawyers bundle, but was in willock’s bundle. PLUS the COI had emailed all of the info to them beforehand, and only provide the bundles as a courtesy to participants.
If he even opened the email sent and printed out his own copy, it would have been a non issue.
But some of yall either like bad behavior or just as foolish as the speaker
What a non point. A page produced by Willock got left out of a bundle. More troubling is the failure to understand the difference between a company and a DBA, which is very significant. Willock was an embarrassment to his office and to the Territory yesterday.
The missing page is not a statutory requirement. The questions they were asking were to ascertain compliance with a statutory requirement. One pales in comparison to the other.
Willock needs to get off his high horse and have some manners. One cannot be right and wrong in the same breath.
Please tell the whole story
Thank you very much.
You sure your name aint JW? Stay on your own delusional site.
Very bias reporting when the CoI has not concluded on the matter.
This news site is very bias. Reminds me of Fox news.
Hahahah – unlike CNN and MSNBC that are filled with honesty, integrity, and transparency! Stop drinking the Koolaid, the media all have their agenda – it is just a matter of what you refer to hear!
The Y***ow site is the bias site, hands down!
Stay on Vino we don’t want you stupid comment here
This f–l made the BVI a laughingstock with his arro—- behavior and calling the COI bullies, when he clearly came off AS the bully. But, what is more disturbing, is that people actually support this drama “q—-” and h– temper tantrums. And some are pointing fingers at England, but none of them will admit that their OWN PEOPLE have been the ones to destroy this country. And the 2 ras on tola r—- are just ranting and raving about England and Babylon this and that SMH
This g— is a disgrace to the BVI and did nothing but embarassed himself,the PM for endorsing him and the HOA. He is a loose cannon, while on his site writing bias comments.
The speaker’s (lower caps) arro—-e and bellig—-e was on full display yesterday, and it was not pretty.
He even had the audacity to tell the commissioner that they were equals. In what way is anyone guess.
Anyone who feels the need to make such statements is simply not who they think they are.
If he is someone’s equal all he had to do was demonstrate this thru his past and current actions, words, deeds, and accomplishments leaving no doubt when he is done about who he is without saying so outright.
But no..he could not do so. His head is too swollen to walk down that path. The speaker is simply a major piece of work.
He acted like a mo mo yesterday, and tried to bully himself thru his appearance before the commission of inquiry and take control. Shameful display if you ask me.
Despite his antics, the Commissioner and the counsel to the commissioner both kept their cool, and remained professional making him look all the more silly with each question.
At any rate, we all finally got to know from his own mouth yesterday that he owns the yellow site (as if we did not know this already).
I gather since he was sworn to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, he had no choice than to acknowledge this.
Control W—–‘s estrogen please. H– hormones are raging.
LOL. I have learned a long time ago never get into it with a d***a q**en. If you do, expect fire works..lots of it. They always get the last word. No winning with them.
NO WONDER HE EMBRACE AND LOVE THE BLONDE WIG SO MUCH. Y’ALL BETTER NOT GET BETWEEN THE MAN AND HIS WIG NOW. NO ONE COMES BETWEEN MEEEE AND MYYYYYY WIG. PSSST, SNAPPING FINGERS IN THE AIR. LMAOOOOO. THE WINE IS KICKING IN.
Sweet.
Be merciful.
Mannnn those D***A Q****S IS WORSE THAN A SETTY FOWL SITTING ON EGGS READY TO CLAW YOUR EYES OUT. DUDE IS THE BVI KAREN.
AND WE REAL GIRLS KNOW ABOUT THOSE RAGING HORMONES!!!!. LOL.
Any fool can see that the esteem is who writing certain articles on that news site.
BYE BYE
So now he’s throwing his “secretary” under the bus for his mistakes and arro—-? Shame on you.
“Sek rit ree” according to the speaker.
IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE PREMIER AND SPEAKER FROM OFFICE, PLEASE HIT THUMBS UP. IF YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE PREMIER AND SPEAKER FROM OFFICE, PLEASE HIT THUMBS DOWN. MY ANSWER IS A BIG THUMBS UP.
The sad thing is that the Speaker thinks he doing something good. I wonder if anyone noticed that everyone in that room was laughing at him. The commissioner, Rowe, and Rawat. I even noticed that the other white gentleman Niki, left for a while. None of them could keep a straight face.
The other one left his chair and didn’t go back and if I was Rowe I would have left too., being paid part of $5M can never compensate for a lifetime of integrity. The behaviour was not representative of the majority of bvislanders inclusive of belongers.
I cannot even begin to express how embarrassed we feel as a people to have witnessed our so-called Speaker of the House behaving in such a reprehensible manner. He needs to refrain from saying he is representing the people because we do not condone that level of decorum that was on display for the world to see.
While we wish for a fair and transparent process, we also expect our representatives to conduct and professionally engage themselves in these COI hearings in a way that will not threaten the integrity of the information received and the manner in which it was received.
Willock acted like a l****ic. Will the whole world really see this. I am soo embarrassed. On a serious note, this guy’s appointment to be speaker is a testament to the Premier’s poor and clouded judgement.
Yes is the short answer. I am in north east/mid atlantic region of the U.S. and I watched live on Friday. I’ve also gone back and replayed most of them in the evenings after work. The court reporter is from DC so I am sure some of his colleagues were entertained by the jerk.
From the outside looking in and the testimonies, very few of your political officials deserved to be serving in office. You the people elect them..they rob You the People of your tax dollars to benefits themselves. So it begs the question are they in office to serve You the People or themselves and their family members. After this they certainly cannot expect the rude men and boys on the street corners to behavior themselves. Why should they when there idots in suits don’t respect laws that are there to protect the People and taxpayer funds.
I am a BVISLANDER LIVING UP NORTH IN VERMONT AND I ALSO WATCH THE HEARINGS WHEN I GET IN FROM WORK. EMBARRASSING AND UNBELIEVABLE. I AM SO HAPPY THAT I GOT AWAY FROM THAT PLACE.
A major concern is how many times it was purported that . .. was speaking for the people of the VI
Thank you bvinews for the real story, not that one sided making him look good story by his news site…They all are bullies, disregard and disrespect, to the law, the process and authority….Their intent is clear,,,,Not good..No Way I can see this Speaker get endorse or confidence from britain going forward to Run this important branch of our government.
Remove him,,, Suspend him…Just get rid of him..His behaviour doesn’t deserve his position..
All the cronies is looking terrible as well. YESSSSSS, WE KNOW WHO ALL THE CRONIES ARE. THEY TO ARE BEGINNING TO GET THE SIDE EYE LOOK OF SHAME.
WE KNOW WHO ALL THE CRONIES-R- US ARE FROM WEST SIDE RIGHT ON UP TO THE EAST SIDE. MALES AND FEMALES.
I cringe at the level of hateful and angry people in this place. Relax people and learn to support your own people, we call ourselves Christians.
Shut up…Luke warm.
I would hope you will also include yourself.
Hon. Julian Wilock fail to realize that he was representing the people of the Virgin Islands and not himself therefore the Hon Premier or himself needs to apologize to us for that display of arrogance yesterday.
Just wanted to say and I know I speak for the majority our esteemed speaker made me proud. He is a freedom fighter and a man we love.
I wish he was a Minister to be honest
Continue wishing. He couldn’t even get the vote to be a candidate for his party. He doesn’t stand a chance in an election.
look at that. 39 and counting white racist ugly haters.
Have you heard, it’s not what you say, is how you say it.
BBC documentary coming soon entitled “Paradise Expose “
THE BRITS ARE HAVING FUN WITH THIS JOKER WHO IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB OF DISPLAYING HIS SELF PROCLAIMED FAME OF BEING THE ESTEEM ONE ( OR THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK DOING ( MC~ HAMMER’S ) CAN’T TOUCH THIS SONG / SO HE IS BEING GIVEN ENOUGH ROPE TO HANG HIS OWN SELF/ AND HE REALLY BELIEVE HE IS THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE BVI ?
W****** over there on HIS news site writing/blogging comments under different names trying to make himself look good. Just look at the article “Speaker chides CoI for missing document in lawyer’s bundle” on V1N0.
Seems he wanted the COI to question him in the speaker’s office. This man is a raving l*n*t*c.
Becareful what you blog on his Site, Something tell me that they are doing their Survey and tracking you..They know who we are…So becareful espcially if you are a government employee or a work permit holder, you can be oppressed and victimized. Take note..
I would see that happening for dislikes on the esteemed site but here I think this one will be used to accurately survey the people’s distaste for past and present.
@Local, The way you speak of Andrew Fahie you have to be on the handout list in order for you to be so blind. The VIP government is a failure.
@Yeah, So is your yellow news site.
Reprehensible behaviour. How embarrassing!
The premier was so respectful to the process. He spoke intelligently and respectfully in answering the questions put to him. Arrogance is not the good way to go esteemed-honourable speaker. Your actions were not too honourable. Next time…….
Yall have these clowns running the country
A red, white, blue and ugly contribution to the discourse. What a display of hate and awfulness!