$$$ needed but not at expense of constitutional rights- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
And documents obtained by our newsroom show that the UK Government does not trust the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government with the loan funds which they committed to back with guarantees. In fact, in many conversations both by the local Government and others in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, they are very skeptical about leaving any of this money in the hands of this government because of the history of financial mismanagement, reckless spending and alleged corruption.
But, according to social commentator Mr Claude O. Skelton- Cline, this demand by the UK hurts the constitutional advancement achieved by the Territory.
“In essence what the UK is saying in exchange for our guarantee of some 721 million dollars, that this agency will serve as a substitute government, which is to say that all of our constitutional advancement that have been made, all of the ministerial duties and responsibilities, is in fact being taken away.”
Mr Skelton-Cline was at the time doing what he calls his 10 minutes of commentary on his radio show, Honestly Speaking, aired Tuesday January 9, 2018 at 5:00 P.M. on ZBVI 780 AM.
He also highlighted that, according to the agreement, a chairperson is to be appointed and a chief officer or secretariat; the UK is to have an additional representative, on the board of the Agency and that Funds will be managed in a separate account under the authority of the chair of the board.
A substitute government?
It is usually the role of the ruling Government to manage the resources and finances of the country. This; however, will not be the case when the deal is sealed and implemented. At present there is no mention of a Budget outside of the estimated $721 Million that is in the recovery plan. If the Independent Recovery Agency Board is going to be managing that money then it goes to reason that they will be managing the territory.
This did not sit well with Mr Skelton-Cline, who said this is not a political matter but a constitutional one. “It has the import of constitutionality and our ability for self-determination. The blood, the sweat, the tears of our fore-parents, which some of them must be rolling over in their graves, to see that we have come to this place where we are even giving consideration for this kind of exchange.”
$$ needed but not at all costs
Acknowledging that money is needed right now in order to rebuild the territory, Mr Skelton-Cline added that sacrificing the constitutional rights of the Territory is too high a cost and it should not be accepted.
“If that’s the cost of the guarantee, if that’s the cost of the money, that is something that costs too much. And we need to push back and say if you are going to take away our constitutional rights, if you are going to take away our capacity for dignity in the human beings that God has created us to be, keep your money.”
He hastened to add, “It may take longer … at the end of the day if we still own our territory and own our land and own our hard assets, then I firmly and [will] be a supporter of one who says let’s go that route. The cost of this kind of money is beyond mortgaging, it’s really enslaving economically our children and grandchildren for years upon years to come.”
Government should be ashamed
The former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) said Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith and his government “should even be ashamed to bring this to us, the fact that this is even under consideration is abominable.”
This is not the first time; however, that the NDP Government is coming under criticism for this agreement.
The Opposition Leader Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) reminded the House of Assembly in December 2017, that “the NDP has themselves to blame, as if they do not police themselves, someone will do it for you in a way you do not like.”
Prior to that, two HoA Members, Hons Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), the Minister for Health and Social Development and Julian Fraser RA (R3), a former government minister, spoke out against the terms set out by the UK.
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16 Responses to “$$$ needed but not at expense of constitutional rights- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
Claude spent most of his time in the USA. Do you think the USVI can take Federal funding provided by the USA and do what they want with it? Stop acting like you didn't go to school man! If monies are provided for a purpose there is nothing wrong with proper controls being put in place to ensure that the monies are spent properly. The people of the BVI have long deserved proper roads, schools, police stations, clinics, hospitals and way of life on a whole. Thank GOD for Irma that we may finally get these things after electing clowns for the past 20+ years. Unbelievable that people still have this mentality "give me your money and leave us the #$%& alone...". This is the real world! Here is as kicker, for the past 10 years the BVI has spent over $3BILLION USD. $3BILLION! Let that sink in! Look around and tell me even pre-Irma if the BVI looked anywhere near a Territory where that much money was spent.