CLARIFICATION: Willock not author of message criticising public about cartoon; he just forwarded it

On Wednesday, June 24, BVI News Online published a story under the headline: Willock criticises public for ‘hypocrisy’ with VINO cartoon.

In that story, our news centre reported that House of Assembly Speaker, Julian Willock forwarded a WhatsApp message to two BVI News affiliates on Sunday night, June 21. That WhatsApp message labelled some residents of the BVI as ‘fake’ for not lashing out at local newspaper, Island Sun, who it claims published a “similar cartoon” to the one posted on Willock’s website, Virgin Islands News Online (VINO).

While Mr Willock remains satisfied that he did, in fact, participate in circulating the message, he is concerned that the story suggests that he was the author of the message. At the time of sending it, Mr Willock did not give any indication that he was not the author. He, however, communicated that information via email minutes after 11 pm on June 24.

BVI News Online wishes to make it clear that Mr Willock does not claim to be the author of the message, which he admits to forwarding to “many persons”.

While BVI News Online regrets any interpretation that Mr Willock was the author of that message, we take comfort in the fact that he is satisfied of our reports that he participated in forwarding the message.

We wish Mr Willock the very best as he continues to serve the territory as a business owner and as Speaker of the House.