Governor projects making COI report public in June

The Virgin Islands public might have to wait until at least June before they will be allowed access to the extensive Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, according to Governor John Rankin.

In a press statement today, Rankin said it is his intention to first share the report in confidence with Premier Andrew Fahie and then with the leaders of the different political parties represented in the House of Assembly.

The Governor said this was to allow discussions to take place on a cross-party basis between them, Ministers in the UK and himself.

“I trust that the confidence in which the report is shared will be respected and I hope that these discussions will take place in the third week of May. Thereafter, my aim will be to publish the report as soon as possible – in June, if not before. It is essential that the handling of this Report is done in the right way, and I believe by adopting this approach, we will get to an outcome that is in the best interests of the people of the British Virgin Islands,” Governor Rankin said.

Based on the governor’s proposed timeline, at least two months will have lapsed between the time he received the report and when it is made public.