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‘I am going to push until we get’ that C. Geoffrey Cox report– Hon Malone

- says VI needs Withers response to CoI report as key piece to bringing good governance to territory
Opposition Member, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has vowed to push the Government of National Unity lead by Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) for the response to the Commission of Inquiry report by Withers Law. Photo: VINO/File
Hon Carvin Malone (AL), while appearing on the August 23, 2022, edition of 'Honestly Speaking' radio show, said he will push until the government decides to do otherwise and commission the Withers report. Photo: Facebook
Hon Carvin Malone (AL), while appearing on the August 23, 2022, edition of 'Honestly Speaking' radio show, said he will push until the government decides to do otherwise and commission the Withers report. Photo: Facebook
Charles Geoffrey Cox QC, a British barrister, Member of the UK Parliament and former UK Attorney General, was the lead attorney for Withers Law during its representation of the VI Government before the CoI. Photo: Wikipedia
Charles Geoffrey Cox QC, a British barrister, Member of the UK Parliament and former UK Attorney General, was the lead attorney for Withers Law during its representation of the VI Government before the CoI. Photo: Wikipedia
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI– Opposition Member Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has vowed to push the Government of National Unity led by Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) for the response to the United Kingdom (UK) sponsored Commission of Inquiry (CoI) by Withers Law.

Withers was the law firm contracted by the Government of the Virgin Islands to represent Cabinet members during the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) hearings.

Premier Wheatley has since indicated that his government will not be asking the firm to create a written response to the CoI Report, citing its potential $1M cost.

Hon Malone has; however, said he will push until the government decides to do otherwise and commission the report.

“I'm going to push until we get it… and it should not cost one million dollars. We already paid eight million dollars for all of the different costs,” Hon Malone told ‘Honestly Speaking’ radio host Claude O. Skelton-Cline.

Report needed - Hon Malone 

Hon Malone added that the report is a critical piece of material to bring accountability and good governance to the VI.

“We need that Geoffrey Cox report. We need the report because it has a big narrative on governance and all of the other areas,” he added.

Charles Geoffrey Cox QC, a British barrister, Member of the UK Parliament and former UK Attorney General, was the lead attorney for Withers Law during its representation of the VI Government before the CoI.

Premier Wheatley, during the July 21, 2022, Sixth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, said his government will not order the report.

Hon Wheatley said with a total budget of $8M for the legal defense, the written response will cost over $1M to receive.

This he hinted would be unnecessary since his Government of National Unity has already agreed to implement the findings of the CoI Report and the money could be used for other areas of needed development.

The Premier; however, said Withers stands ready to move forward once instructed to provide the report.

19 Responses to “‘I am going to push until we get’ that C. Geoffrey Cox report– Hon Malone”

  • time will tell (29/08/2022, 09:38) Like (9) Dislike (8) Reply
    Look how Andrew have not one but two mouth piece in this COI ting. All of a sudden this man got the most to say. I pray to god that both he and Claude are ignored severely.
    • To time will tell (29/08/2022, 10:21) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
      You can tell you are not well learned. Cox report is needed to bring balance and allow democracy to prevail. Malone is correct,
    • @time will tell (29/08/2022, 11:20) Like (13) Dislike (11) Reply
      I cannot agree with your post. We need the report NOW! I have an issue with the governor doing a COI in the heart of the worse pandemic in the last 100 years while our people were scared, getting sick and dying from COVID. That in itself is inhumane especially seeing that UK refused to do any COI on their covid response and conduct overall due to COVID in the UK. This is hypocrisy! Next, the COI Act was passed by the colonial masters in 1880, just 46yrs removed from slavery which meant it was slanted towards slavery mentality and slavery rule. Now in 2022, in the 21st century, the governor used the COI Act to judge modern day actions. This violates our human rights and so does the content of the COI Act! The same COI Act allows the governor ALONE to select the Commissioner of the COI and it is done with no transparency, no democratic process, and no fairness. Probably that's way the COI report does not recommend that the COI ACT be amended because it supports the mission of the colonial masters. This seems to be an organized plot! Next, the governor kept telling us during the COI that it is an independent COI, and the recommendations are just recommendations. Now he is saying all recommendations must be implemented or direct UK rule. That was deception! This is now dictatorship! How could the COI be independent when the governor handpicked the COI Commissioner to do the report and give him the terms of reference to work from? Worse yet, how can the COI be independent when the staff who worked with the Commissioner was given to him by the governor and his bosses in the UK and were persons from the same UK Department as the governor? To most with sense, this lacks transparency, and it is void of good governance. It seems as if this was just an exercise to do what was already decided before the advent of the COI, but have it done in a way that looks transparent in order to win the heart and trust of most of the people of the Virgin Islands and divide us so as to conquer us without us realizing. Clearly this is slavery all over again but in a modern form. For these reasons we need the Cox report NOW! It may very well be our only hope in the Virgin Islands of the scales being brought into balance. The BVI is not worse a place than anywhere else in the world. I agree we need to fix what needs to be fixed but all is not bad in the BVI. The people of the V, I. did a good job over the years and our efforts should not be allowed to be demonized by none.
  • 8th district (29/08/2022, 10:23) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    I was wondering about this same thing. The people of the Virgin Islands need Cox report right away.
  • asura (29/08/2022, 10:25) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    yes we need to see the report the slow Premier doing a cover up
  • Youth (29/08/2022, 10:29) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    I agree we needed some changes in some areas of government. So, I agree with some of the COI recommendations but not all. Some of them are not in the best interest of the people of the V.I. especially the youth and upcoming youth. I see the COI process as high handed and dictatorship. The report by that lawyer man cox is needed because there is always more than one side to every matter and there is the truth. I am not convinced that the COI report gives the other side nor the full truth.
  • hmmm (29/08/2022, 10:34) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    I do not always agree with Malone, but he is correct. The BVI leaders are allowing a one-sided report and recommendations to lead us back into slavery. The only way for the people to stand a chance for freedom is to know all the facts and not the one the slave masters want us to know only, and worse yet to believe because they said so.
  • VG (29/08/2022, 11:21) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    People of BVI WAKE UP!
  • The current Premier should not be blamed.... (29/08/2022, 11:57) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    For what others before him done wrong.
    Hon. Carvin Malone, former VIP, now opposition minister, yes we do need the Cox report, but did you answered all the CoI questions honestly when been questioned?
    One sure report you will get is after the next general election votes have been counted, you will ceased to be a political Minister of the BVI Counsel.
    • oh boy (29/08/2022, 12:59) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      Another person who has no clue. Hon. Malone you are on the right track, the report is needed with or without elections to allow for democracy to reign no matter who is elected or re-elected or not. This is about our future.
  • jah (29/08/2022, 12:44) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    What you people need it a clean up of this territory not cox report..too much drugs and killing...children grew up by getting what they need because it was easy to come..who vex ,vex with their own face,at the end of the day people will always suffer while the rich getting richer by not paying tax and under pay staff...people of the British virgin islands turn a blind eye on things when they are friends to their wrong doing friends..look at the parade during festival for one mart..it was a Philippine parade....how much local does he have working for him?,people get your self together former governor do us a favor to get rid of these so call leaders.who only trying to get rich by taking people hard working retirement funds..social security is another place need to be invested.
    • TO jah (29/08/2022, 16:15) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
      So where in the world is different? They trying to fool the rest of us that BVI is worse than the UK or anywhere else in the world. You obviously drinking the cool aid. Your post is just ignorance.
      • jah (29/08/2022, 19:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        What you need to focus on is where you live and what is the best option for the territory to move forward in the right direction,the war is going on in Russia and Ukraine but we still have to survive,bvi is a part of UK,you can't want UK and tola passport but you don't want nothing to do with them,its like taking your parents money but you don't want them to tell you how to spend it...
  • jokers (29/08/2022, 12:58) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    SOUNDS LIKE HON A FAHIE STILL DOING SOME INSTRUCTIONS SOME WHERE AND HOW
    CAUSE NONE BEHIND WOULD NOT HAVE THINK OF THIS!
  • Pull up (29/08/2022, 13:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    in 2022 and we as a people still need the report of the white folks to charter a way forward then something is drastically wrong with our vision and thinking

    should pen and paper dictate your future( as a virgin islanders after all the whipping and abuse our fore parents overcame and establish these virgin islands(look around, as tiny as we are, folks from all walks of life call this place home and become very prosperous in this territory BUT somehow some of our people still looking from the pathway

  • SHANICE (29/08/2022, 17:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    pure $%#@ mister talking ,what are you going to do with it , what you were suppose to do at BVIHSA ,to make a drastic change to get things running smooth at this institution under your management , WHAT DID YOU DO , WHAT DID YOU REALLY DO , NOT ONE DEAD SOUL YOU RAISE FROM THE GRAVE ,U ALLOW ALL THE THIEF TO RUN WITH WITH THE MONEY , NOW U COMING TALK BUNCH OF HOT AIR , YOU WILL SOON GET PREMIERE POST

  • one eye (29/08/2022, 17:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Carvin is the only one fighting for the people
  • Common Sense (29/08/2022, 20:29) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This gentleman cannot be serious, your head of government is awaiting trial in the US for money laundering and drug trafficking. Your head of Ports, and, her son are charged with the same crimes. Your head of Customs has been removed, and, a number of police officers have been charged following major drug finds and arrests. What do you think the $1 million dollar report will achieve with all this in the background.
    • @ Common Sense (29/08/2022, 22:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Make it plain for some of we because this overseas territory was under suspicion for drugs & money laundering by the united kingdom and suddenly the head of state validated both of these allegations and some still pondering and talking all manner of foolishness…..


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