Claude O. Skelton-Cline & Peter W. Wickham trade punches over Poll
Mr Skelton-Cline in a commentary issued exclusively to our newsroom over the weekend said, “It is quite strange or is it, that a company from Barbados shows up in the BVI conducts a survey/poll and no one is prepared to take responsibility for their being here.”
Did CADRES have work permits?
He further stated, “I would ask the Minister for Natural Resource and Labour [Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering] to inquire as to whether or not this entity had work permits and if so, were the requisite fees paid and who exactly their sponsor was.” He added, “We continue to let persons or entities enter our Territory and carry out all sort of works (with public implications) and we do not know anything about its origin. The last of which, there was a bunch of signs posted throughout Tortola and to this day, we still do not know who did it nor the motives behind it.”
However, in an invited comment Mr Wickham hit back and told our newsroom in an email answer moments ago that “my initial wish was that the individual who I understand is a talk show host would have made an effort to contact me directly to raise these issues and provide an opportunity for me to respond directly.”
"We were legal to work"- Peter W. Wickham
He further added, “With regard to the first point about the work permit situation, it is clear that Mr Skelton-Cline has some other baggage that is not related to CADRES that has influenced his opinion and this is unfortunate. Notwithstanding, I can state without reservation that CADRES has done research in the BVI on 4 occasions, three of which were political and at no time did we contravene any of the laws of the BVI for which we have the greatest respect. The data gathering aspect of our work is done by local associates who are eligible to work in the BVI, while CADRES does not physically work in the BVI, nor do we receive compensation in the BVI, consistent with the stipulation of our director’s entry permit.”
Mr Skelton-Cline in his commentary also stated, “Clearly the entity conducting the survey was not here on its own. Somebody or persons hired them and fed them information that informed the nature of their questions and the categories to be surveyed. I wonder, if giving the ongoing struggles for power and the unhinged ambition that’s been on display in the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government, if they or someone(s) among them is not responsible for the said survey and are the results inclined to favour the sponsor, the ones who are paying?”
Who paid?
To this, Mr Wichkam stated “The matter of the sponsor or person(s) who commissioned the survey is always a source of great curiosity and indeed has been for the last 20 years of our existence as a company. It has always been our policy that we do not identify our clients; however, our clients are free to identify themselves as they have often done.”
Mr Wickham, a Barbados national also added: “Notwithstanding, we guard our integrity as an organisation that has been providing political research across this region for the past 20 years and reiterate that we sell research and not results.”
However, not backing down Skelton-Cline further stated “Incidentally as pollsters go and you read the history of this particular entity, it’s a mix bag. Therefore, one cannot ignore the polling as presented to us has a margin of error plus or minus 5 percent. You might as well stick your finger in the air and see which way the wind is blowing. In addition, how serious can you be by placing Sir Richard Branson name on a questionnaire as an option for Premier in the Virgin Islands.”
In defending his work Mr Wickham said, “The margin of error of +/- 5 percent is the standard adhered to in the social sciences and as such is the industry standard.”
Why Richard Branson?
As for Sir Branson name on the questionnaire raised by former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, Mr Wickham stated “We did not place Sir Richard’s name on the questionnaire as is being suggested but when asked, someone suggested it and our interviewer recorded the information correctly as instructed. The fact that Sir Richard is not a candidate is irrelevant since we often have people suggesting names of public figures such as Jesus Christ in response to questions on leadership and we record such preferences in all instances.”
As it relates to the comment about the history of this particular entity was clearly an attempt to be nasty according to Wickham and “I would encourage Mr Skelton-Cline to say a little more about this mix bag of which he speaks.” The record of CADRES regarding polling in this complex region of ours is second to none and if this comment is perceived to be an idle boast, “I would ask that the research firm with a more outstanding track record in this region be identified so that BVI public discourse can better understand the ‘history’ of CADRES and the extent to which any other firm has polled with a greater degree of accuracy than we have," Wickham stressed.
Poll results
Mr Wickham though his CADRES produced three survey results, the first results says the country is moving in the wrong direction, and there is a dead heat for preferred leadership between Premier Smith and Opposition Leader Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1). It also said NDP voters believed Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL), The Education and Culture Minister is the best performing Minister and Hon Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (R7) has the worst performance.
The pollster warned that “ BVIslanders can rest safely in the knowledge that any conclusions presented in a CADRES report are reflective of public opinion and are not an attempt to change or influence such opinion.”
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41 Responses to “Claude O. Skelton-Cline & Peter W. Wickham trade punches over Poll”
A breath of fresh air.
Handsome too.
If Mr Cline disagrees with the poll, he should get another company to do a survey as a second opinion. Polls are just TOOLS to help give a snapshot of a community at any given point. I would also think that a company from another island would give a more neutral response instead of talking to relatives. And, with anything, if you are going to talk about someone or thing- do research in private first to get the facts before you end up with egg on your face because you didn't do your homework. It is irresponsible.
Sailing our waters and in some cases have no clearance but the black caribbean people always get vomit upon by some of us.....please renew the contract(medication!!!!) while tings were in our favour all was wonderful now suddenly the same actors wants the world to stop spinning: these are the jive turkeys that want to rule or destiny(can you say pier park & missing millions and who was in charge...like some of us forget)
1 Mr Skelton Cline you are called to be a pastor not a politician.
Did not you experience in America taught you anything.
2. Since you arrive you only start milk the government for monies I never see you put to use.
A. $300k to start a program to help the youths given by VIP. Monies collected still waiting
Soooooo please go sit down and reread the Bible verse of not being able to serve two masters again. Because I think you missed the moral of story or forgot
It is very shameful and insulting to us. This has caused a concern to us because this is a fault report stating that it came from us when we have not seen or heard about such survey.
I do hope this opinion will not distract the electorates, however, I think it should energize them to strive to ensure that there is a change of government. It is time for the NDP to go.