An inquiry into historic land losses will restart next Wednesday, the Commission of Inquiry announced today.

The commission is expected to hear the last pieces of evidence on the compulsory purchase of land at Tucker’s Town and St David’s Island before they hear claims of land losses from other parts of the island.

A spokeswoman for the commission said: “As has been previously noted, the Commission is not a court of law and will not issue any orders that will address individual land losses – except as part of a result of a systemic cause – nor will it attempt to provide an individual remedy for any loss.”

But the Commission of Inquiry can make “recommendations … that may remedy the systemic causes that gave rise to losses of citizens’ property in Bermuda through theft of property, dispossession of property, adverse possession claims and/or may make recommendations that might forestall future land losses by any unlawful or irregular means”.

The commission, headed by retired Puisne Judge Norma Wade Miller, could also, if appropriate, refer cases to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The hearings will be held in the canteen at the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s Warwick Camp.

The spokeswoman said that the hearing will be open to the public, but strict Covid-19 rules will be applied and numbers allowed in the building restricted.

The commission, which started in September, adjourned on October 30.

The hearing will reconvene at 10am.

It will be live-streamed when possible and shown on the commission’s website at historiclandlosscoi.bm.