Bermuda’s Governor wants commission of inquiry to examine historic land grabs on the island

The Governor of Bermuda, George Fergusson, has rejected a bid to set up a commission of inquiry to look up at historic land grabs on the island.

The move followed a vote in the House of Assembly last week to ask that a commission be established to look at “historic losses in Bermuda of citizens’ property through theft of property, dispossession of property and adverse possession claims”.

The Governor’s decision followed a vote in the House last week to ask that a Commission of Inquiry should be established to look at “historic losses in Bermuda of citizens’ property through theft of property, dispossession of property, and adverse possession claims” and for compensation if the claims were proved.

But Mr Fergusson said in a letter delivered yesterday to Speaker of the House Randy Horton that the debate had “raised serious concerns of public interest. Some may well be worth further examination. But they are not clear enough or urgent enough to require a Commission of the type proposed”.

But he appeared to not rule out an inquiry in the future if more information on alleged abuses was to be revealed.