Gov’t cannot play politics @ my expense- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
The controversial former Managing Director of the BVIPA held a press conference in the studios of CBN Television Channel 51, with a backdrop of the cruise pier development project behind him.
Skelton-Cline's contract was not renewed after it came to an end in November 2015 following which Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool said while Skelton-Cline did a good job, the project was over and it was time to move on.
Virgin Islands News Online had first and accurately reported that Skelton-Cline had initiated legal action in the courts due to his contract not being renewed even though he was reportedly given the assurance prior to the June 8, 2015 general elections that it would be renewed.
Only 9% information disclosed!
The press conference was hyped as a ‘tell it all’ press conference and the public was anxiously waiting to hear whether Cline would address issues of alleged corruption and whether names would be called. Mr Cline stated, however, that while there is a multiplicity of issues that he could speak about, his lawyers had limited him to disclosing only 9 percent of all that can be said.
“I have been silent for the last three years since taking up my post as the Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority. Much has been said, some that is steeped in a lot of misinformation, so I thought it was time to pause and at least share what I consider to be nine percent of what I know so that it could shed some light in the dark areas.”
He said the first reason for calling the press conference is to deal with the reputational hazard of the issue which he called a debacle. “My name is all that I have. I am a father of a son, I am a husband of a wife, I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my name matters. I am the singular and sole guardian of my name,” he stressed.
He went on to defend his work ethic and his execution of his duties at the Ports Authority. “Everything has been done above board and is in order and if no one else does I am responsible for protecting my name and ensuring that there is no misinformation when it comes to who I am.”
Abuse of power
A member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) who unsuccessfully contested the November 2011 elections, Cline said he is disheartened by the way the Government has behaved towards him, which explains his naming each member of the Government side as a party in the legal action.
“I think it has been unfair, it has been unjust, I think it is an overreach and an abuse of power and it is for those reasons, because we could not settle it at the executive level then I have my last recourse which is the judicial component of Government and that's where I seek to get a cure for what ails me and what has affected me greatly in this matter.”
Gov’t cannot play politics at my expense
Mr Cline said while he had nothing bad to say about any member of the Government, he was going to court on a matter of principle.
“I am not against or have anything bad to say about any member of Government. I am speaking [as a matter of principle] and for what is just and what is right,” he said.
“I have [utilised] every avenue to resolve this matter and had to seek legal recourse. I didn't spend 50 years of my life building a name to have it torn down. Government cannot play politics at my expense,” he said.
“We came to the end of my contract. There were certain things that were committed to me and based upon my performance, based upon my competencies, my board, the BVIPA board at the time who saw what had taken place within the time it had taken place, they saw the work that we had done and were interested in ensuring that this work continues,” he said.
A soldier for the NDP Government
According to Skelton-Cline, the BVIPA board on January 22, 2015 signed a resolution of their intent to continue having him as Managing Director of the BVIPA, for which he had to also signal his intent to continue.
“They signed that resolution with certain terms and conditions and on January 23, 2015 it was sent to the Ministry of Communications and Works...to come to this point and not a contract...I think it is unfair, unprincipled on basic decency, [unjust], [without] due process and I think the Government owes myself and any other citizen a fair shake of what takes place,” he said.
Towards the end of the press conference, Skelton-Cline made it clear that he did not deserve the treatment he was being given because of what he did alongside the NDP in their 2011 election bid.
“You don't work and not be properly compensated and recognised. It is reasonable, it is humane, it is common decency, it is basic respect. That's what you do. When someone does something for you, you say thank you. When somebody comes alongside you and assists you, you say thank you. I worked for this Government. I stood on the stage with this Government. I am a soldier for this Government. I said some things in 2010 and 2011 while they were running for elections that they could not say. As a soldier and as a colleague who stood on the stage and who muscled up and helped this government to get re-elected in 2011 and then called upon to execute the most critical revenue generating development in there tenure, and then to have a person like myself standing on the outside where you can't even recognise and call my name? That raises far more questions than answers,” he said.
Mr Cline, however, did not directly address the question as to whether he wants his Managing Director job back.
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32 Responses to “Gov’t cannot play politics @ my expense- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
CSC during the 2011 campaign trail didn't care what he called others - remember the famous "empty kerosene pan" comments. How life turns around and bites you in the a$$.
CSC is the one who is now worried about what people call him, to the point where he is suing the Cabinet of the VI
CSC revealing only "9%", he now sounds like the empty kerosene pan.
Isn't life a b!tch?
I think all the citizen of the virgin island should take the goverment to court.... They are so c...upt!!!! Please let's take our country back from these cr..ks!
fr..d we want to hear the other 91%
Some people cannot control themselves. CSC just strengthened the Govt’s case. He walked right into the trap.
Time for elections again man!