Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

‘Nothing or no one will deflect or distract us'- Frustrated CoI Commissioner

- Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom alleged he & CoI team are being frustrated to carry out job
CoI Commissioner Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom has affirmed this position that the UK-sponsored Virgin Islands (VI) Commission of Inquiry will be distracted from achieving its mandate in the VI. Photo: CoI/Youtube
Andrew King & Bilal M. Rawat are two of the three Lawyers currently assisting with the works of the UK-sponsored Virgin Islands (VI) Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the Virgin Islands, have been accused of practicing law in the territory & doing so while not being called to bar in violation of Legal Professional Act 2015. Photo: Internet Source
Andrew King & Bilal M. Rawat are two of the three Lawyers currently assisting with the works of the UK-sponsored Virgin Islands (VI) Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the Virgin Islands, have been accused of practicing law in the territory & doing so while not being called to bar in violation of Legal Professional Act 2015. Photo: Internet Source
WICKHAM'S CAY II, Tortola, VI - The one-man Commissioner of the United Kingdom-sponsored Inquiry (CoI) on governance in the Virgin Islands (VI) Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom has affirmed this position that the CoI will not be distracted from achieving its mandate.

The Commissioner’s statement came this morning, September 6, 2021, at the restart of the CoI hearings at the International Arbitration Centre, Wickham’s Cay II, Tortola.

CoI being frustrated - Commissioner 

The Commissioner; however claimed that he is being frustrated from doing his job, however, he provided no examples of the frustration he has faced.

“I want to make it quite clear that I have reached the stage of this inquiry, when more than ever it is important that I press ahead, complete the hearings, and right and promptly deliver my report,” he said.

“I have no doubt that the public welfare of the BVI requires that I do, I am afraid that I and indeed my whole team have been frustrated but I must make very clear that nothing or no one will distract us from completing the tasks set by my Terms of Reference.”

While persons in the VI have only been trying to ensure the laws of the territory are being followed regarding the CoI team, the CoI commissioner has said his inquiry has been meeting frustrations with making progress.

CoI will press forward - Hickinbottom

He said; however, he will continue to press for information considered relevant to the Terms of Reference (ToS).

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the purpose of the CoI is to establish whether there is evidence of corruption, abuse of office, or other serious dishonesty that may have occurred in public office in recent years in the VI and, if so, what conditions allowed this to happen.

The CoI further said that this will ensure VI’s governance is working in a fair and transparent manner for its people. 

Bilal M. Rawat, Andrew King, and Rhea Harrikissoon, who are currently assisting with the works of the CoI, have been accused of practising law in the territory while not being called to the Virgin Islands Bar, a violation of the Legal Profession Act 2015.

33 Responses to “‘Nothing or no one will deflect or distract us'- Frustrated CoI Commissioner”

  • My girl (06/09/2021, 18:30) Like (61) Dislike (39) Reply

    Let he cart his r@#$

  • local boy (06/09/2021, 18:35) Like (68) Dislike (45) Reply
    Britain will takeover anyway.
  • coi (06/09/2021, 18:47) Like (24) Dislike (17) Reply
    Are the lawyers straight with the law?
  • ok (06/09/2021, 19:01) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    shut mouth catch no fly our people talk to much
    old folks always say silence is golden

    some of us recall living in your parents house had to be obedient now we living on our own things different come and go as we please

  • Press on (06/09/2021, 19:14) Like (73) Dislike (90) Reply
    Press forward sir, in spite of. The ones who are frustrating you have LOTS to hide. Continue to uncover
    • Delaying strategy (07/09/2021, 06:17) Like (22) Dislike (3) Reply
      Maybe this their plan, delay, delay, delay until next election to avoid the embarssment of a Britain take over... They already know there is no other way out...
  • bbc (06/09/2021, 19:26) Like (42) Dislike (82) Reply
    The coi is a set of law breakers
  • white power (06/09/2021, 20:32) Like (51) Dislike (41) Reply

    Racist at play?

  • Almost Fair-minded native senior citizen (06/09/2021, 21:06) Like (49) Dislike (4) Reply
    Thank you Commissioner Gary R. Hickinbottom, and your other team members for your courageous stance against political, and other unjust practices that rival against good governance in the B.V.I. In spite of the frustration some are causing you, keep moving forward as if there were no oppositions frustrating you. We the majority are in favour with the continuing CoI probing of corruption in this country.
  • builder (06/09/2021, 21:11) Like (43) Dislike (3) Reply
    Only the corrupt, incompetent and criminals have anything to fear from the CoI. Good governance is to protect the people from getting screwed. Carry on Sir and don't finish until every stone is turned.
    • josiah'sbay (07/09/2021, 10:16) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
      How ignorant can you be?
      • builder (07/09/2021, 14:02) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
        Looks like you have something to fear from what is to be revealed. Maybe you were involved in the theft from the people by their own leaders over the past 30 years??? Balsam Ghut waiting for you....
  • Wicked as usual (06/09/2021, 23:28) Like (10) Dislike (23) Reply

    Wh*** bwoy you need to run a COL on the slave trade and reparations

    • @wicked (07/09/2021, 10:08) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
      Do the Egyptians have to pay reparations to the Sudanese? The Zimbabweans to the farmers, the Romans to the English, the North Africans to the Spaniards, the Caribs to the Tainos, the Nigerians to the Biafrans?
      Can we start with the Government paying reparations to us?
    • @Wicked as usual. (07/09/2021, 11:27) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
      And they would discover that it was the black people who sold most of their own people to the Europeans .
  • look (07/09/2021, 06:10) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    white boy shows and already casuing dissension in the ranks speaker and AG moving forward to court house and the pot just got on the fire
  • 4 Solutions to Problems (07/09/2021, 06:14) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    1/ Admit your mistake or your wrongs....2/ Apologize, Seek forgiveness...3/ Be willing to take advice and do things differently...4/ Be humble and you maybe be forgiven..... I will suggest these are the four solutions our officials need to adopt, get this COI moving and over with..Put everything in God's hand and let the chips fall where ever...
  • asking for a friend (07/09/2021, 07:26) Like (5) Dislike (19) Reply
    where is the COI on the slave trade? and racism?
    • @asking for a friend (07/09/2021, 10:11) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      They are against it whether it be blacks enslaving Arabs, blacks enslaving blacks, white enslaving whites, whites enslaving blacks, Asians enslaving whites.... we all done it.
  • Dancing in the sunshine (07/09/2021, 08:03) Like (6) Dislike (19) Reply
    It is disgusting to read the remarks of the Commissioner of inquiry. It sounds as a total arrogant slave master. When I looked at the majority of people living in the Territory and as descendants of African slaves giving credence to the son of the slave master, it leaves much to be desired. What else do we need to see. I am totally upset with this type of behavior by our people. When the report is written, it will not affect the VIP government only. However, it will affect everyone who are living in the Territory. Should the British decide to impose direct rule in the territory, I will certainly leave the territory to take up residence in another country. A famous quote that I read some time ago resonate with me as I read this article and it read as " I rather die and go to hell than to be a slave again".

    People of the BVI, do you look at the COI and see the level of arrogance displayed at the hearing. Every time I look at it, I can imagine what they did to the slaves during slavery. I could imagine the slaves crying for relief and they were punish further. I cannot wait to see the departure of these imbeciles from this shore of this country.
  • Sam (07/09/2021, 08:58) Like (4) Dislike (18) Reply
    These colonialists are something else.
  • say what (07/09/2021, 09:26) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    the british are coming
  • Kodak (07/09/2021, 09:52) Like (2) Dislike (49) Reply
    Fire will burn Babylon. London bridge is falling down. Look at the signs not even a war in Afghanistan they are capable of wining. We want our compensation from the British Slave Trade NOW. Stop sending Jamaicans and other Caribbean people from the UK after they have lived there for most of their lives. UK Citizens start acting like human beings.
  • The TRUTH (07/09/2021, 10:11) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    White decline needs to hurry up.
  • priest (07/09/2021, 11:19) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    If Territory and all Governments pass and present are to be exonerated in this Commission of inquiry from all wrong doing (corruption) I prefer it to be on grounds that after all the facts are examined, no evidence would be found to prove we are corrupt not because of legal malpractice or other technicalities. That would leave clouds of suspicion over our head.
  • stop (07/09/2021, 13:15) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    @Dancing in the sunshine, If you want to leave, leave no one is stopping you, you sound like a very arrogant hateful person. How can we question corruption when we see it every day? The BVI has hit rock bottom under this government and it's time the UK step in and turn things around for the better of these islands and the people.
  • BVIslander (07/09/2021, 13:59) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    I hope the AG know that anyone can do cases here in the BVI with out being called to the bar she has set a president and those who didn't got called to the bar can now do cases
    • AG is right (09/09/2021, 09:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      This is a Commission of Inquiry not a commercial court matter... nor a criminal case (yet).
      Very different things. with different requirements. The AG ishttps://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/nothing-or-no-one-will-deflect-or-distract-us-frustrated-coi-commissioner acting correctly
  • Lillian (07/09/2021, 16:34) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    A LOT OF LOCALS AND ALSE WOMEN TOO SHOULD THE COI LOCK THEM ALL SPECIALLY THOSE WERE IN NDP GOVERMENT
  • Its disappointing (09/09/2021, 10:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    These Ministers going before the COI are so unprepared,, its like they are not taking this thing serious...It seems like its only the speaker really grasping the seriousness of this exercise..These ministers need to wake up and realize this COI aint no joke. They came for blood...They are in plenty trouble..
  • U Feel It (12/09/2021, 14:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Re Dancing in The Sunshine. Your description of the COI is a perfect description of how the BVI treats black outsiders!


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.