Questions as to the independence of the COI

Since the COI was instituted in the territory, many persons said they believed that the conclusion was already written. And that train of thought is even more evident today based on comments from the Commissioner of Police Mark Collins.

During a recent clipping aired on JTV, Collins spoke about an issue and confidently said this will be the recommendation of the COI. But the question is, how can the Commissioner of Police say this would be the recommendation when the COI has not even been concluded as yet and the report has not been handed in, well as far as the public knows. The Commissioner’s comments have raised eyebrows and more questions about the independence of the COI.

Earlier this week, the Speaker of the House of Assembly Julian Willock wrote to UK Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Dominic Raab about the questions raised by witnesses, that if this is truly and independent COI, why did the sole Commissioner Sir Gary Hickenbottom arrive in the BVI on the same flight with former governor Augustus Jaspert who organised this commission of inquiry and why has the Commissioner allegedly been seen meeting with the current governor, John Rankin.

The Speaker asked Raab to provide him with evidence that the BVI truly has an independent COI with an explanation about why the former and current governors had meetings with the commissioner and if this is not a conclusion already written.