Politics
Claude Skelton-Cline no longer supports the VIP: Premier
By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor
(JTV NEWS) — Premier and Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Natalio Wheatley said talk show host and pastor Claude Skelton-Cline appears to no longer support the VIP.
Wheatley, who is also Minister for Finance, made the remarks during Tuesday’s sitting in the House of Assembly.
At the time, he was making statements in response to a damning report from the Auditor General’s Office on the three contracts granted to Claude Skelton-Cline, who was collecting just over $16,000 monthly for them.
Audits have revealed that the contracts did not go through a tender process, were not a value-added move, and appeared to have been employment for the contractor.
During his contribution in the House, Premier Wheatley not only admitted that the contracts given to Skelton-Cline were a mistake but said Skelton-Cline may no longer be his friend, or of the VIP, because of what he has to say.
“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,” Wheatley said.
“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.
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.
The Premier told the House that Skelton-Cline did not produce as expected.
“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,” Wheatley said.
However, he said while the Auditor General’s Report on the Claude Skelton-Cline contracts is “pretty straightforward” others are questionable.
“…. 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.
“This audit [Skelton-Cline contracts] is pretty straightforward. I’ll have to say we have some other audits coming where the Auditor General comes to some conclusions that I disagree with, and that’s ok because the Auditor General herself is a human being, and as a human being her conclusions are not infallible,” Premier Wheatley said.
Local News
Julian Willock Refutes Defamatory Allegations in Guavaberry Media Report
Mr. Julian Willock has issued a formal response to a recent article published by Ms. Cindy Rosan in Guavaberry Media on October 23, 2024. The article, titled “Lorna Smith Sacrificed for Julian Willock Run in 2027,” contains allegations suggesting that Premier Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley’s dismissal of Hon. Lorna G. Smith OBE was part of a strategy to advance Mr. Willock’s political ambitions. Mr. Willock strongly refutes these claims, describing them as false and without basis.
In his statement, Mr. Willock clarified that he had no involvement in, nor prior knowledge of, the Premier’s decision to dismiss Hon. Lorna G. Smith OBE. He emphasised his friendship with Mrs. Smith and pointed out that, as a member of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and its Third District Committee, he was not consulted or informed about the Premier’s actions.
“To suggest that this was done as a political favor or in support of my alleged candidacy is completely baseless,” Mr. Willock stated. “I have had no discussions with Premier Wheatley, Hon. Julian Fraser, or any of their associates regarding any such matter.”
Mr. Willock urged Ms. Rosan to adhere to responsible journalism by ensuring her publications are grounded in fact rather than speculation. He condemned the report as both defamatory and misleading, asserting that he has made efforts to avoid becoming entangled in what he described as Ms. Rosan’s “vicious attacks” against other Virgin Islanders.
In a final note, Mr. Willock issued a measured warning: “Karma is real. When digging a hole for others, be sure to dig two.”
He also reminded the public of District Three’s upcoming annual Job Fair, scheduled for Sunday, October 27, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Therapy Works in Hannah’s Bay, Tortola.
Local News
Premier Wheatley’s Allegations of Insufficient COI Support Lack Merit: Says Smith
Lorna Smith OBE, dismissed as Deputy Premier by Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley on Wednesday morning, has strongly refuted his allegations of her insufficient support for the administration’s Commission of Inquiry (CoI) obligations, stating they lack merit.
“The Premier in his letter to me cited a lack of support in relation to COI obligations as one of the reasons for my removal. However, if you have followed my work since being sworn in as Minister, it is evident that the accusations hold no merit,” Smith said at her October 23 press conference, held just hours after Wheatley announced via social media that former Virgin Islands Party (VIP) member Julian Fraser had been sworn in as Deputy Premier.
The former Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade revealed that she was notified of her dismissal via a letter received around 8 a.m. while she was at work in her office.
Smith, who won the Territorial-At-Large seat with the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the April 2023 elections, previously switched allegiance to give the Virgin Islands Party a majority to form a government.
A composed former First Lady emphasised that her “record speaks for itself,” noting, “under my leadership, my ministry, along with its hard working team, has met all COI deadlines, fulfilling every obligation within the required timeframe.”
“The Premier’s reasoning is simply untrue, and I believe that it is imperative that he be honest with the people about his true motives rather than fabricating baseless claims.”
Wheatley in his public statement thanked Smith for her service, adding that “I do so with a heavy heart. She did not give me the confidence that she would remain with my administration for the duration of this term.”
The head of the territory added: “This is a necessary change to the composition of the government that provides my administration with political stability and a wealth of knowledge and experience which will serve us well over the course of the remainder of this House of Assembly, political stability is critical at this time to ensure we finalise completion of governance reforms, effectively address the recommendations of the mutual evaluation report.”
At the end of August, Governor David Pruce announced that the government had missed the deadline for implementing key reforms outlined in the 2021 Commission of Inquiry Report, which exposed widespread corruption within the administration.
The CoI was initiated by former Governor Augustus Jaspert in January 2021, and a year later, Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom presented a comprehensive 900-page report detailing significant corruption and recommending a partial constitutional suspension to facilitate essential governance reforms.
But Premier Wheatley in August assured the territory that 45 of the 48 proposed reforms had been completed, promising that the remaining changes would be finalised within a week.
Tensions continue regarding the territory’s political future, as the United Kingdom has warned that failure to implement the reforms could lead to the retention of the Order in Council, potentially resulting in a two-year constitutional suspension.
The former Deputy Premier shared that “despite the difficult economic challenges we face, my focus has always been on strengthening our economy while supporting the government in meeting its obligations.”
She made it clear to Premier Wheatley upon switching sides that “I was here to serve the people of the Virgin Islands, not to serve political interests.
“The truth is I have never wavered in my commitment to the Virgin Islands and its people. When I made the decision to join the government, my singular focus was the continued development of our territory. I was transparent about my intentions then, and I remain steadfast in that mission now.”
“It is exactly what I have done up until this point,” Smith said, highlighting several key achievements during her tenure as Minister, including a successful response to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) mutual evaluation report, the launch of the Financial Services Solution Programme, and the establishment of the First Tomorrow’s Leaders Internship Programme.
She also led a trade mission to Guyana and Asia and co-chaired the UK Overseas Territories Economic Dialogue, the first of its kind.
“My recent efforts, particularly our successful response to the CFATF mutual evaluation report, have been recognised both locally and internationally, and I am proud of what we have achieved together,” Smith said.
Local News
Premier Slams Opposition Over “Misinformation” in No-Confidence Motion Debacle
Premier of the Virgin Islands, the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, has condemned the Opposition’s handling of a No Confidence Motion, accusing them of “bungling” the process by failing to comply with the Standing Orders of the House of Assembly.
In his remarks to the public, Premier Wheatley took aim at the Opposition for spreading what he called “misinformation” and for directing “vicious comments” towards the Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly, whom he insists was not at fault in this matter. “It is unfortunate that some persons have chosen to be selective with the facts,” Wheatley stated, “taking Virgin Islands politics to a dark place.”
The Premier reiterated that while every member of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition has the constitutional right to challenge the Government, “persons cannot on one hand profess to be the vanguards of law and order, and truth and righteousness, and then flout the rules and regulations just because it is convenient to their agenda.”
He further called on the Opposition to apologise to the Speaker for “pre-empting her ruling, walking out of the House while she was delivering her ruling, and casting aspersions against her integrity.” According to Wheatley, “a higher standard of conduct is expected from those who aspire to lead the country.”
The controversy arose from the Opposition’s failure to adhere to the procedures for filing their Motion of No Confidence. The Premier emphasised that the Standing Orders, amended in 2016, clearly distinguish between Government Business and Private Members’ Business. He argued that the Opposition’s motion was categorised under Private Members’ Business, and that the Speaker’s ruling was correct. “A simple reading of the Standing Orders will show that the Opposition’s Motion was clearly Private Members’ Business, and the Honourable Speaker was correct in her ruling,” Wheatley asserted.
Premier Wheatley went on to accuse the Opposition of prioritising political gamesmanship over the completion of critical reforms, claiming that the timing of their Motion was intended to undermine the Government’s efforts to petition the UK for the lifting of the Order in Council. “The Opposition prioritises ‘brownie points’ over the completion of the recommendations and the removal of the threat to suspend our Constitution,” he charged.
As he concluded his statement, the Premier reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to serving the public, highlighting ongoing efforts to repair roads, address infrastructure challenges, and finalise the steps necessary to meet the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations. “My Administration remains united and firmly committed to our responsibility,” Wheatley stated. “There is a lot that needs to be done instead of staging walkouts and press conferences.”
He closed by expressing his readiness to engage in debate when the Motion is properly brought forward, adding, “I look forward to responding to the Motion when it does come up for debate, assuming the Opposition complies with the Standing Orders of the House.”
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