Full Copy Of Commission Of Inquiry Report
The Commission of Inquiry report has just been released, with the 178-page report saying “we have found that there were indeed widespread breaches of Financial Instructions” and “we have concluded that there is evidence of possible criminal activity requiring referral to the Police.”
The Commission’s report noted that “because of the inherent seriousness of making any such reference, even if it is only of ‘possible criminal activity’ without any finding or even any suggestion of guilt, the reference alone might be taken by some as an indication that in the eyes of the Commission there is at least prima facie evidence of guilt, but it should not.”
Speaking in the House of Assembly this morning, Premier Michael Dunkley said, “In light of rumours at the outset of its work that police were investigating some of these matters, the Commission learned through questions submitted to the Bermuda Police Service that investigations were indeed underway and ongoing.
“On this point, I want to commend the Commission for the care and consideration it took in addressing its responsibility to ‘refer any evidence of possible criminal activity’ to the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Police. In particular, its caution in pointing out that a finding of ‘possible criminal activity’ should not indicate evidence of guilt, and that the ‘naming of an individual does not imply any finding of guilt.”
“Indeed, the Commission noted that it was ‘not required, or entitled, to make any finding of innocence or guilt. [It was] required only to refer to the police and the Department of Public Prosecutions any evidence of ‘possible criminal activity.’”
“In that regard, the Commission did find evidence of ‘possible criminal activity’ in seven of its inquiries into ;third party issues’ and, in accordance with its terms of reference, referred them to the Bermuda Police Service.
“These findings in were made in relation to the contract awards to Ambling and Global Hue, the TCD Testing Centre, the purchase of sand and rock for asphalt, the Magistrates’ Court and Hamilton Police Station project, the Port Royal Golf Course improvements and the Heritage Wharf cruise ship pier.”
The report has just been posted online and we will have additional reporting on it, and in the meantime the full copy is below.
Update: A summary broken down by project is here and comments from the Premier are here.
The 178-page Commission of Inquiry report follows below [PDF here]:
