‘I wish I was making $16K per month’ - Skelton-Cline
Second District Representative, Hon Melvin M. Turnbull, speaking during the September 29, 2020, House of Assembly (HoA) sitting, had revealed that Mr Skelton-Cline’s latest government contract was worth some $16,000.
He further questioned the purpose of the contracts issued to Mr Cline and what reports or updates were available for Grace Consultants, telling the House, “Because the only time you hear him is on the radio on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
According to Mr Skelton-Cline, responding to the claims on is show, Honestly Speaking, on ZBVI 780AM on October 6, 2020, “One of the things that member for the Second [District] said is that I make $16,000 a month. That's an extremely misleading statement… Claude Skelton-Cline does not make $16,000 dollars a month, I wish I made $16,000 a month.”
Consultancy contract is public - Skelton-Cline
Referencing the new contract, Skelton-Cline said it is not a ‘secretive clandestine document’, rather public information that is available in the public domain.
He further said personally, he does not make $16,000, given the money is taxed under his consultancy company. He further suggested that the $16,000 contract in fact is a discount for services offered to the Government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we currently sit, given the conditions, given what the country and the world is going through… even that particular from any previous contract has been drastically reduced because of where we are… and everybody is having to cut here and there,” he said.
In the past, Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) had said that Mr Skelton-Cline would be fired if he doesn't deliver on the promises of his consultancy contracts.
18 Responses to “‘I wish I was making $16K per month’ - Skelton-Cline”
Of course there are ways to increase his actual take-home beyond whats acknowledged on paper, through some clever accounting, but its the smart business-like way to conduct himself.
I think the bigger questions, the REAL questions to be asked are...
(1) What exactly are the expected returns for the $16,000/month that is being paid to Grace Consultants (and in turn to CSC)? What are the deliverables he was contracted to deliver?
(2) What timelines were given for expected results?
(3) To date, what has he produced so far that is quantifiable?
(4) What were the returns received by the Government on his previous contract? Did they justify the renewal of his contract, at an increased rate (in spite of the purported "discount" given)?
(5) Is there any conflict of interest whatsover in his being a consultant, advising the Government on various matters (which have yet to be revealed), and his ongoing public commentary and advocacy on various matters currently in the public sphere and actively being pursued by the sitting government? In other words, is he in effect being paid to be a public advocate for causes and issues the government either doesn't wish to publicly state, or are interested in pursuing but need to have the public opinion favorably swayed beforehand?
These are REAL questions, and considering that the public purse (yours and my tax dollars) are funding CSC's employment, we have the right to know at least these basic questions. We elected (hired) the present administration to carry the country forward and to undo / not repeat some of the bad choices / mistakes of the previous administration, NOT to give their cronies jobs and no-bid contracts for vaguely defined roles.
Transparency is what we need. The words and actions must match.
That's all some of you expats are about? Government is not responsible to feedeliver you and your children. Call home for help. Sh88 man