News Release: HAMILTON, Bermuda, Opening Remarks by Justice Norma Wade-Miller – On Monday, October 19th, 2020 the Commission of Inquiry began its second hearing pertaining to historic land expropriation in Bermuda.

I wish to thank all the witnesses who testified during the second tranche of these hearings. We adjourned on Friday, October 30
th, 2020 and now, after a 2 week hiatus, we are resuming today.
To those individuals who are joining us for the first time, I am retired Justice Norma Wade Miller, Chair of the Commission.

I am assisted in this undertaking by Commissioners: Wayne Perinchief JP, Mrs Maxine Binns, Mrs Frederica Forth, Mrs Lynda Milligan-Whyte, Mr Jonathan Starling and Mr Quinton Stovell.

Senior Counsel to the Commission is Mr Dirk Harrison who resides in Jamaica but who, in spite of the pandemic, has decided to join us and is here with us in person. I offer a warm but socially distant welcome to you, Counsel Harrison!

By way of brief introduction, Counsel Harrison has served as a Prosecutor at the national level in the courts of the Island of Jamaica. He was Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of the Environmental Law within the office. He was Contractor General as a sole commissioner to the Parliament of Jamaica. He is an independent member, as well as the Chairman, of the Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies.

Counsel Harrison is assisted by local Barrister and Attorney Mr Bruce Swan.

The Secretariat which supports the Commission is comprised of Permanent Secretary Ms Marva-Jean O’Brien, who is Clerk to the Commission, Mrs Alberta Dyer-Tucker, Mrs Alicia Lister and Mrs Ercinda Swan.

I remind everyone that, Premier David Burt established this Commission with investigative, fact-finding and advisory responsibilities in keeping with its overall mandate.

I will not reiterate the Commissioners’ mandate, as all of this information can be found on the Commission’s website.
We will now pick up where we left off on October 30th and move straight into the next phase of the Inquiry which is to conclude
our consideration of matters related to Tucker’s Town and St David’s Island, as well as to hear from witnesses who have made
representation to the Commission because of issues with land loss in other parts of the Island.
I will now turn this hearing over to Counsel Harrison who will lead the evidence of our first witness.
Counsel Harrison!