Willock defends the many thousands wasted on aborted lawsuits
Former Speaker of the House of Assembly (HOA) Julian Willock has insisted that hundreds of thousands of dollars were justifiably spent when they were doled out from the public purse to fund aborted matters he brought before the courts during his tenure as Speaker.
Willock argued on the Talking Points radio show yesterday, November 14, that despite the delicate state of the treasury at the time, his actions were not only warranted but well within reason and in the interest of the public.
Willock insisted he was never being selfish, but only patriotic in pursuing the matters before the court and claimed that his aborted matters set legal precedence which can now be followed by others.
“What I was fighting for, [and] I continue to fight for, is a legal system that benefits everybody. You can’t have a legal system for ‘us’ and one for ‘them’.” Willock said without explaining who he was referring to.
“So while there is a cost associated with it (the court actions), you have to think of the long-term benefits of what was derived from going those ways,” he argued.
When asked about one of his lawsuits — a court injunction for which did not receive the necessary support from the Attorney General, Willock pushed back and said the court found that he had grounds to pursue the matter, so he went ahead.
“It was in the interest of the public, it wasn’t in the interest of me. I didn’t do it in my private capacity,” Willock claimed.
COI costs not being debated
In the meantime, Willock attempted to equate the costly court matters he pursued with the government’s expenses for the implementation of Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommended governance reforms.
“No one is talking about those (COI) costs. We spent over $40,000 to defend John Rankin. No one is talking about that cost. So far, according to my information from the Ministry of Finance, we’re close to a million dollars in paying to implement the Commission of Inquiry. No one is talking about those costs. I’m just saying, let’s be consistent,” Willock insisted.
Willock, who appears to be considering a run at the next elections as a possible Territorial At-Large candidate, said the people of the territory will ultimately vindicate him for costs associated with taking three COI lawyers before the courts.
Background
Willock first brought legal action against Fourth District Representative Mark Vanterpool after Vanterpool won re-election at the 2019 polls. Vanterpool almost immediately, mistakenly sent a resignation letter to the clerk of the HOA, but just as hastily, withdrew that resignation.
Willock, once appointed as Speaker, belatedly accepted the resignation and decided against swearing in Vanterpool for his seat in the HOA. Arguing that it was his duty to test the law to confirm that Vanterpool had in fact legally resigned, Willock pursued a protracted lawsuit and lost, then sought to take the matter to the Appeal Court before abruptly aborting the action. It was a pattern the Speaker would repeat in the coming years.
That first action reportedly cost the government several hundred thousand dollars in court costs and legal fees and it remains uncertain whether all fees have since been paid.
The same script was rehashed when the Speaker took a matter to the High Court, arguing that COI lawyers were practising illegally in the territory.
The Speaker filed a suit against the COI lawyers — without the required permission from the HOA or the Attorney General — but lost at the High Court before pursuing an appeal, which was then abruptly aborted as was previously done.
Court costs and legal fees amounted to just under one hundred thousand dollars in this instance. It was a bill for which Willock was held personally responsible by the court and asked to pay. However, the now dismantled Andrew Fahie-led government insisted on paying instead. Protest action later caused the government to concede. The legal costs associated with the failed injunction was ultimately left for Willock to pay.
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Why are we even hearing from this egotistical, pompous windbag again? The BVI people would be crazy to vote for the likes of you to represent them. At that rate, we might as well let the UK go with the country. What a national embarrassment this man has been and what is worse he seems to have no shame whatsoever. What is he doing back on radio and the internet talking about. Nobody wants you to run for election Mr. Willock. What is wrong with you?
This man spent close one million dollars in frivolous lawsuits. All of which he had to abort or they loss. He spent close to 400k on a lawsuit with Mark Vanterpool that had nothing to do with him because he was not even sworn in as speaker at the time. He too nuff!
BULLCRAP!!! WASTED MONIES TO DEFEND A SELFISH ARROGANT PERSON THAT WAS NOT AN ELECTIVE OFFICIAL IN DEFENSE FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL AGENDA!
Jump high jump low he has my vote
The more I listen to the esteemed the more he has my vote very good show as usual
This story is fake news mr Willock only had lawyers for mark as for the coi he had to pay out of pocket so how he cost the government?
We will not be fooled!!! We got you bvi prince willock
Why are people giving this maniac a voice to irritate the public further? Can’t he just stay by that excuse for a site he has?
Defending the indefensible.
The talk show business must be very slow. Last week it was Jamal. This week it is Julian Willock. Should we be expecting Trump next week?
We voting for willock because he will stand uo for we and not sell out
was Julian willock bill 1.6 M or 7.2 M now that is a waste of money with nothing to show! go talk that
Why is this man not in jail? He disobeyed a court order to pay the costs.
WILLOCK FOR 2023
Wilock illegal fee’s was paid through C**** l*** vía his security company last year ,so y’all sheep sleeping still ?
ha ha he he the UK and those who are jealous of Julain out early trying to formulate a blogging script. The man Willock is solid, I will rather be in the fox hole with him and sheep then the slow man and smurf
I just want to throw up whenever I see this man face. Bvi news spoil my day.
What is Mr. Willock seeking to achieve? Could it be that he is contemplating a run for election? I for one do not see this as an option that could be taken seriously at all. Anyone observing could see that there are some issues here. Anyone who goes around calling themselves “esteemed” cannot be normal. Then wearing a blond wig as speaker while lambasting colonial every chance he gets. Then his awful conduct before the Commission of Inquiry. No one that was there liked being there I am sure but no one else conducted themselves as horribly as he did. I was ashamed for the BVI at that moment. Then these ridiculous law suits that just cost the government money that could have gone into education or healthcare. Then he bought a long black vehicle to be driven around in as speaker when schools do not even have furniture for the children to sit on. Everything about this man stinks to high heaven.
Why are talk shows entertaining these kinds of people who have one agenda – their own agenda! How could someone seek to defend something as asinine as what the former speaker did by racking up huge legal fees for ridiculous cases to satisfy his out of control esteemed ego? Let him go on his own site and spew his crap. Do not provide an environment for him to contaminate. We want proper and constructive discussions about the future of our home. Not this type of nonsense.
You meant Princ**s! That is NOT a royal by any twisted definition. Please dry clean the wig and return to the speaker who has to clean up your mess boichild!!
I agree, scraping the proverbial bottom of the barrel now! I’d rather listen to Edmund or Courtney rather than these wannabe plebs. Two of the most disgusting individuals from D3 – c’mon Whiskers; aren’t there any respectable individuals in Hog City for the future?!?
Sadly the good people of the BVI have shown again and again that they will vote for incompetence and corruption… Can’t work it out myself but the evidence is clear for all to see from the last few decades of elections.
Some of these comments against Willock seems so fake but we know better we sticking with him any day any hour All The Way
I must say how much I enjoyed listening to Mr. Willock. I just listened to his interview on Talking Points online and yet again he hit it out of the park.
Mr. Willock is wise, seasoned and continue to make the BVI Proud. The next election cannot be about who we like it MUST BE about who can run the country, who has integrity and who will be there for the people.
He is a top rated candidate, we may not like what he says at times but he is for the people and county and that is what draw me to him.
In times like these I think he will make a good Premier if you ask me!!!
If someone could go as far to pretend to be someone else then it really tells you that they are living in far distant land. Wasn’t it this same Willock who was pretending to be this made up editor name John Leonard who no one ever saw and who mysteriously disappeared back to Canada?
We really expect any better from somebody like this? The man is completely off his rockers.
Sadly, this player never questioned any of the plays called by the Head Coach and will personally feel the brunt of them! The legal proceedings brought by him were all bulls**t and he knows it.
that WIG nude just love to hear himself and will do anything to be in the spotlight, now he is on bvi news and blogging under different names to decieve people ,he need to go and join pum ( wasted knowledge
that WIG dude just love to hear himself and will do anything to be in the spotlight, now he is on bvi news and blogging under different names to praise himself and decieve people ,he need to go and join pumpkin ( wasted knowledge
I didn’t know Willock was from Long Look because ain’t nobody post that blog but him. That man head screwed on wrong.
Stop Julion, just stop!
That’s the problem. He doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong, still. How can you argue or reason with a man like that? Dangerous.
When did VINO take over this website?
proceeding appear appropriate for this self proclaimed lawyer until he reimburses the BVI Treasury for all the legal fees his superfluous loser law suits he illegally commenced during his incompetent period of government employment.
Nobody sensible reads his new site anymore because they have discovered now what it really is so he goes on talk shows so that other credible news sites could carry his filthy stories for him. BVI news stop bringing news with this man on your platform. Let him go to his yellow platform and spew all the piss he wants there. Stop facilitating him.
WILLOCK FOR JAIL TIME.