By Prior Beharry
THE new chairman of the Commission of Enquiry into the death of four divers at Paria Fuel Trading Company on February 25 took his oath of office on Wednesday.
Jerome Lynch, QC, was sworn in by President Paula-Mae Weekes, stated a release from the Office of the President on Thursday.
It stated that Lynch took his Oath of Office as a Commissioner and Chairman to the Commission of Enquiry to examine and enquire into all of the circumstances that led to the tragic incidents which occurred on Friday, February 25, 2022, at facilities owned by Paria Fuel Trading Company Limited, located at No. 36 Sealine Riser on Berth No. 6, which led to the deaths of four employees of LMCS Limited.
Lynch replaces Cecil Dennis Morrison, QC, who resigned for personal reasons after being appointed to lead the enquiry. The other member of the CoE is Subsea specialist Gregory Wilson with former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence as counsel to the commission.
Lynch is a Senior Litigator at Trott and Duncan in Bermuda and a Queen’s Counsel at Cloisters Chambers in London.
According to the release, his practice includes defending in all serious crime, including murder and manslaughter, fraud, corruption, company breaches, insider trading, money laundering and other white-collar crime. He has been registered as a senior trainer by Lincoln’s Inn and regularly lectures around the globe on advocacy and ethics.
Lynch is the holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Lancashire. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1983, and was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel in 2000.
In addition, Mr Lynch has been admitted to practice in Bermuda, Turks & Caicos, the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands.
He became a bencher of Lincoln’s Inn in 2008 and an Honorary Fellow of the University of Lancashire, his alma mater, in 2011.
