Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Speaker WILLOCK believe the rights of sitting HOA members are being violated by the COI commissioner

Speaker WILLOCK believe the rights of sitting HOA members are being violated by the COI commissioner

Speaker of the House of Assembly Julian Willock has said that he believes the rights of the members of the House continue to be violated by the Commissioner of Inquiry, Sir Gary Hickinbottom.

In a media release statement issued from the Office of the Speaker on Monday June 14, Willock expressed his discontent with several actions and requests from Sir Hickinbottom for the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI).

His latest discontent comes from the request of the Commissioner to have sitting members of the House present for the live COI hearings during the week of June 14th, which conflicts with a scheduled sitting of the House of Assembly.

He said, “The Commissioner continues to violate the rights of members and further has no regards for the schedule of the House of Assembly, where in the British Westminster System, it has long been established, almost 500 years now, that the parliament is sovereign and no other activity including a commission of inquiry shall not interrupt the work of parliament.”

“The House of Assembly will be sitting this week on the 15th, 16th and 17th of June, 2021. However, Mr. Gary Hickinbottom still violated parliamentary sovereignty, norms, traditions, convention and the rule of law, by asking Honourable members to appear before him on those dates, despite being told about the schedule of sittings,” Willock further stated.

Members missed workshop due to the COI


Willock was speaking at the BVI Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Members Training, and pointed to evidence of the impact of the COI which resulted in members having to miss the event.

“Even today, many of our members are not attending this workshop, because again they are asked to appear before him, on the day of a Parliamentary activity, after we told him in advance of this event. Notwithstanding, some House of Assembly members in the spirit of co-operation have decided to appear before him,” he added.

COI engaged in public relation spin machine


Speaker Willock also said that he believes the COI is “engaged in a public relation spin machine” which is aimed at destroying the reputation of the HOA members.

He said, “So members of the House of Assembly who dares to stand up for their human and civil rights, will be labelled as someone who has something to hide, resulting in them being tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion.”

The continuation of the 9th Sitting of the House of Assembly was initially scheduled for June 10, however due to reasons unknown to our news station, it was rescheduled for today Tuesday June 15.

The Sitting continued in the Committee stage, where the Contractor General Act was on the agenda to be deliberated.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×