A “mistake” granting contracts to Skelton-Cline: Premier

By MERRICK ANDREWS AND CATHY RICHARDS

(JTV NEWS) — Responding to the Auditor General’s Report on the contracts granted to Claude Skelton-Cline, Premier and Minister for Finance Natalio Wheatley said the government made a “mistake” in those business dealings.

The Premier made this and other comments during the February 21, 2023, sitting of the House of Assembly.

The Auditor General’s Report has disclosed that the three contracts awarded and the over $16,000 paid monthly to Claude Skelton-Cline was not a value-added move but rather employment for the contractor.

Skelton-Cline is a former managing director of the BVI Ports Authority, a former government consultant, and is also well known for being the host of ‘Honestly Speaking’ on ZBVI Radio.

In the House on Tuesday, Premier Wheatley admitted that the contracts given under the Andre Fahie-led administration to the talk show host and pastor, were not only a mistake but he (Wheatley) gave support for these contracts — and that was also a mistake.

“And certainly, I have to say, Madam Speaker, yes this contract that we speak about, these contracts for Claude Skelton-Cline did come to Cabinet, and I did support them, and I am here to say to you, Madam Speaker, that I believe that I believe my support for these contracts was a mistake, and I believe that the former Premier made a mistake in engaging Claude Skelton-Cline with these contracts. And it is okay to acknowledge a mistake,” Wheatley told the House.

The Premier said he hopes that Skelton-Cline remains his friend after this contribution in the House.

“And I do believe my good friend understands the concept because he has a whole platform dedicated to speaking honestly and openly. And my good friend, whenever he has the opportunity, has no qualms about expressing his views openly and honestly. And if that means that some persons get offended so be it. I, myself have been the subject of some of his Honestly Speaking discussions which he has every right to do.

“And regardless of the conclusions he has come to about myself or anybody else, I remain his friend. I hope that once I finish saying what I am saying, he will also remain my friend. But I have a duty and a responsibility and duty to the people of the Virgin Islands but I just hope that we can still be friends after I say what I say Madam Speaker because we speaking honestly,” the Premier said.

The territory’s leader went on to say: “We have Mr. Claude Skelton-Cline who received, I believe, a total of three contracts. He was paid exorbitantly for those contracts and his contribution to the success of the initiatives that he was tasked to complete was marginal at best.”

The territory’s leader went on to say: “We have Mr. Claude Skelton-Cline who received, I believe, a total of three contracts. He was paid exorbitantly for those contracts and his contribution to the success of the initiatives that he was tasked to complete was marginal at best.”

The Premier did not stop there. He started throwing punches from the political ring.

“And let’s speak about the fact that Mr. Claude Cline has been associated with political parties including the Virgin Islands Party of which I am the chairman. I don’t think he supports the Virgin Islands Party anymore which has been his pattern — if I might say that. He’s been jumping left, he’s been jumping right. Claude Skelton-Cline says he believes a woman will be elected as the next Premier. Now I am a fan of a woman Premier, of course. But I believe his biggest motivation for saying that a woman will be elected is because I am a man. And it’s become very clear that Claude Skelton-Cline does not support me in my political endeavours and he doesn’t support the Virgin Islands Party which I lead.

“And I will just give you my theory as to why that is. And Mr. Skelton-Cline, first he was talking about a woman then he start talking about his uncle, Ronnie. And Madam Speaker, I wonder if the public understands what’s taking place. First, he started with the Virgin Islands Party then he went to the National Democratic Party, then he went back to the Virgin Islands Party, and the current leader of the Virgin Islands Party doesn’t seem like I am going to be able to get through with him. Seems like the gravy train might be over there. Let’s jump on to the next host,” Premier Wheatley added.

The Commission of Inquiry Report called for full audits of the contracts granted to Skelton-Cline.

The report said, among other things, that the contracts did not go through any tender process. Each contract was valued at over $100,000.

The Auditor General’s Report on the contracts given to Skelton-Cline was laid on the table in the House of Assembly and has been seen by JTV News.

According to the Report, the contractual arrangement was initiated by Skelton Cline’s submission of a proposal to provide services and no efforts were expended to ascertain his qualifications to perform the proposed services or to obtain alternative submissions via a competitive process.

The report explains that on March 8, 2019, Skelton-Cline emailed a two-page proposal to the Premier’s Office offering his services as Chief Strategic Advisor “to assist the office of the Premier throughout the strategic planning and execution of key initiatives”.

The proposal outlined three specific areas of focus, as stated in the report, Climate Change, 1000 Jobs in 1000 Days, and Youth Empowerment. The proposal also presented a list of duties and responsibilities for the Chief Strategic Advisor.

The document included a proposed contractual period of four years at $196,000 per annum ($16,330.00 monthly) — a remuneration that would place the consultant’s pay above that of Cabinet Ministers and the Premier.

The report tells us that both the proposal and the draft agreement submitted by Skelton-Cline placed the consultant in an “advisory” role with no obligation or commitment to produce results and no requirement to demonstrate improvements or added value to the Public Service.

Two and a half weeks after submitting the proposals, Skelton-Cline was engaged by the Premier’s Office as a “strategic advisor” via petty contract and stipulated a term of six months from March 25, 2019, and remuneration of $16,330.00 per month with five-percent end-of-contract gratuity.