NDP inaction will lead to Gov Jaspert tapping VI Treasury for RDA works-Claude O. Skelton-Cline
The warning was sounded by radio personality, Honestly Speaking’s Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline, during his live broadcast on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, when hosted as Guest, eminent Virgin Islander, Mr Elroy Turnbull.
Speaking to the confusion, turmoil, power grabbing and poor stewardship which has led to an instability of the Territory—and which currently exists in the NDP—Mr Skelton Cline, posited that this will lead to a further encroachment into the affairs of the VI.
Provisional Budget
Speaking to the political climate that exists within the NDP government, Mr Skelton-Cline suggested that it would be difficult for the Government to pass the required legislation for the effective functioning of the RDA, such as procurement laws.
He used the occasion to remind that government will also have to pass a provisional budget for first three months of 2019.
This, as a result of the fact General Elections are to be held on or before April, 19, 2019.
The radio host said, “I am concerned and you (VI residents) should be concerned too,” and drew reference to what he terms, the recklessness and inaction which currently permeates the sitting government.
FCO Boss/No Plan
Mr Skelton-Cline reminded that only recently, during a tour of the Territory by newly appointed Director for Overseas Territories in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Ben Merrick and Governor Jaspert, the NDP administration was unable to present a recovery plan to the officials—that would also include a source of finances.
Questioning the funding of any such plan, Mr Skelton-Cline, pointed out that should government fail to enact the required ancillary legislation for the RDA, then the Governor will simply—using his reserved powers and like his predecessor—reach into the Treasury
He was adamant there, is monies available for Governor Jaspert to extract and hand over to the RDA.
Mr Skelton-Cline reminded listeners that this past year, the Financial Services Industry, did in fact perform better than expected, in terms of revenue had.
He drew reference too, to an $11M take by government from an insurance company, in addition to a promised $10M from the UK’s Financial Secretary.
Hanging in a Balance
The radio show host and man of the cloth was adamant, these are funds that the Governor, “will have a right under reserved powers, to reach over and grab, if in fact this government cannot pass the requisite legislation, so that the RDA can function.”
This, he said will obtain should the government continue to procrastinate, saying, “…need I remind how we got to this RDA business in the first place.”
Mr Skelton-Cline suggested, “I am concern about the unfinished work of this government and what will happen if they continue on the path that they are in” and posits, “we will see and will experience together, further encroachment of the UK in the affairs of our Territory.”
He is adamant, this state of affairs is “because of the poor (NDP) stewardship (of the Territory)—and that’s putting it mildly—the recklessness, the power grabbing that we have seen demonstrated, the instability that they have placed this territory in and we and our children, and our children’s, children hangs in the balance; It’s unacceptable.”
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