London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

BVI Premier welcomes clean and honest due process, calls for live streaming of the Commission of Inquiry

The BVI government is calling for a proper and honest procedure of the Commission of Inquiry announced by the former and controversial governor Augustus "Gus" Jasper, by demanding what every sincere Commission of Inquiry should welcome: transparency.
If the Gus Jasper's intentions are genuinely honest and he has nothing to hide, he should welcome the call for transparency.

“sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman” (Former Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis).

In a Statement (attached) Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie wrote:

Good day and God's Blessings to all the people of the Virgin Islands and beyond.

Yesterday, 18 January, 2021, His Excellency Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert announced that a Commission of Inquiry would be held to inquire into the conduct of public affairs as these relate to allegations of corruption or misconduct.

The full details of the Terms of Reference of the one-man Commission have not yet been advised, but the Governor has indicated that this would be done in the near future.It is my considered view, and that of your Government, that this Commission of Inquiry should be open to the public and broadcast live, including on the Internet, given the international interest that exists in this matter, and I have so advised the Governor by letter today.

As I indicated in my statement yesterday, your Government has no objection to the holding of a transparent Commission of Inquiry. Your Government, which you elected 23 months ago, has nothing to hide and we do not wish for anything to be hidden from you the people.

Clearing the air on long-outstanding contentious issues will help us to gain closure in those issues and move forward, ensuring that trust in public institutions is restored and that institutions are further strengthened. This is important for our journey to self-determination.

2Persons who have done wrong must be held accountable. And persons who have been innocently and falsely accused deserve to have their names cleared and their reputations restored. This is the very reason why, even as an Opposition Representative, I have been calling for Commissions of Inquiry into certain matters –as I have done since becoming Premier 23 months ago.

So, I remain steadfast in these principles, as does all the other Members of your Government, although Governor Jaspert always advised us as Cabinet Members that before a Commission of Inquiry can be convened, that to ensure due process, all Government institutions established to ensure accountability, transparency and Good Governance must be allowed to function and produce their reports.I also wish to reiterate that anyone who has evidence for the Commission should provide that information to the Commission.

This is your opportunity. This is your right.Governor Jaspert’s announcement and a similar statement released yesterday by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab have been receiving wide attention in the international media.

Both my Government and I learnt about the Commission of Inquiry for the first time at the same time as the entire world, and I am sure many of you have seen the statements and the media reports.While both statements contained elements that were accurate, they also contained comments that are grossly inaccurate and which have cast the BVI, the present and past BVI Government and the people of the BVI in a very disparaging light to the world population.

According to the parable, one of the most hurtful and dangerous things that cannot be called back is the spoken word –and in this case the written word. So we must trust that a transparent, public Commission of Inquiry will clear up those issues in the international space.But, we must be mindful that the BVI’s economy is heavily dependent on international business; and success in international business depends on your reputation. We have companies and individuals who are today having to face international business associates who are reading uncomplimentary reports about the BVI and its people in the international press.

3The BVI’s international reputation and indeed the reputation of Virgin Islanders and persons who do business in the BVI are affected by these reports that are being syndicated through and republished from the UK media houses.Given the international interest in -and the international implications of –this Commission of Inquiry, I have today written the Governor requesting that the Commission’s hearings should be open to the public and should be broadcast live through the various media channels, including live internet streaming. It is common practice in many jurisdictions for hearings in Commissions of Inquiry to be broadcast live.

This aids the public in having accurate information and in seeing that the Inquiry is conducted in a transparent manner with no secrets or hidden agendas.Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1880 as amended provides that unless there is any contrary direction, inquiries should be public. Section 9 of the Act provides for the Commissioner to make rules for the conduct and management of the Inquiry. So, if there is any doubt about live broadcasts, Section 9 should clear this up.I wish to take this opportunity to advise members of the public to get a copy of the Commissions of Inquiry Act and familiarize yourself with it.

I will be asking that GIS assist in making the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1880 accessible on the Government website. This Act was passed 140 years ago and has undergone several amendments since –the last being 50 years ago. It is important that all Virgin Islanders learn about the mechanisms in our legal architecture.

And, this is an opportunity to learn about how Commissions of Inquiry work.For instance, many persons may not be aware that anyone who is the subject of the inquiry or who may be in any way implicated or concerned in the matter is entitled to have a legal representative present to look after their legal rights. And, a subpoena to attend or to give evidence before the Commission must be treated in the same way as a summons form the High Court.

Being informed will help you to properly participate in the Inquiry.So let us utilise the opportunity of this Commission of Inquiry to build ourselves in our ongoing journey to self-determination.

I thank you and may God bless these beautiful Virgin Islands and her people.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×