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CoI investigating Skelton-Cline's consultancy contract with Gov't

- Private citizens targeted for info that’s ‘readily available’ to CoI, says Skelton-Cline
Consultant and host of the Honestly Speaking radio show Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline, said private citizens in the Virgin Islands, like himself, are being targeted by the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) for information that is readily available through the Inquiry Response Unit (IRU) that was set up by the government to facilitate the requests for information by the CoI. Photo: Facebook
Commissioner Gary R. Hickinbottom, left, and Press Secretary Mr Steven Chandler, right. The CoI is said to be investigating the consultancy contract of Claude O. Skelton-Cline with Government. Photo: VINO/File
Commissioner Gary R. Hickinbottom, left, and Press Secretary Mr Steven Chandler, right. The CoI is said to be investigating the consultancy contract of Claude O. Skelton-Cline with Government. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Consultant and host of the Honestly Speaking radio show Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline, said private citizens in the Virgin Islands, like himself, are being targeted by the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) for information that is readily available through the Inquiry Response Unit (IRU) that was set up by the government to facilitate the requests for information by the CoI.

Skelton Cline said in his case, he was asked to provide documentation pertaining to his $144,000 a year consultancy contract that he inked with government in 2019 that did not go out to tender, just as the first contract he signed for $98,000, two months after the current administration took office in 2019.

He said yesterday, April 27, 2021, that apart from his contract being a public document registered in the High Court, it was part of government’s paperwork.

“What I find curious is why would the CoI be corresponding with me regarding government’s documents, a contract issued by government when in fact all of these items are in the possession of the government? I didn’t engage the government, the government engaged me! I am a private citizen with a private company.”

He said he has engaged several lawyers on the matter and is now waiting on his main lawyer to provide feedback on what his next steps should be in relations to the requests from the CoI.

CoI can do whatever they want!

One of the general comments he said the lawyers gave him was the broadness of the CoI Act, that it “gives them the right to do whatever they want.”

He reasoned: “That’s the first thing that’s wrong, and I keep saying it to you. This very Act is against all-natural justice, it’s a violation of basic fundamental human democratic rights. I’ve shared with you that this document is a political document that has some legal clothes on, where the UK can unilaterally do whatever they want to their former colonies, territories or whatever they want to call us now. I don’t understand why you contacting me when the government has the information? This is happening to a lot of private citizens and companies, and this Act and this exercise is a political instrument; you are asking me for documents that you have access to.”

Skelton Cline then asked “Where is the fundamental fairness? How are we being judicious?"

'We have to draw the line'

He said 'part' of the CoI is to intimidate persons because fear is a currency and political powers always use fear.

"They nurture and nurse and nourish and water fear. It is designed to intimidate you, it is designed to get in your brain, and I am only sharing this with you of these Virgin Islands to say to you that at some point, we have to draw a line in the sand and push back against what the UK is doing which I see as a complete abuse of power, an overreach of power in the 21st century.”

The consultant said he wanted to express that he was a staunch supporter of good governance, but he was having issues with the principle where private citizens and companies were being targeted for information that is available to the CoI via government.

32 Responses to “CoI investigating Skelton-Cline's consultancy contract with Gov't”

  • robocop (28/04/2021, 08:22) Like (84) Dislike (1) Reply
    For a private citizen he sure does enjoy making his views public. Surely it is common sense that any contracts awarded without a tender process need to be looked at to understand how the individuals came to be contracted, and what services are actually being provided in exchange for taxpayers money.
  • Local (28/04/2021, 08:27) Like (49) Dislike (2) Reply
    Hope that all R. Cline's lawyers are local BVI lawyers and not those imported lawyers from everywhere else in the world. I'm sure the local BVI lawyers will defend you with all their skill for that free pass to heaven.
  • @ cSc (28/04/2021, 08:32) Like (45) Dislike (2) Reply
    What's up player ? Let's see you express you hidden talent
  • gfdfdggfdgfdgfdg (28/04/2021, 08:52) Like (42) Dislike (0) Reply
    Something no right....nooo noo $144????
  • all ah we (28/04/2021, 08:52) Like (103) Dislike (2) Reply
    Ain't them alone want to know.....We want to know same way
  • resident (28/04/2021, 08:54) Like (156) Dislike (3) Reply
    finally, no way he is worth that kind of dough
  • Honestly Speaking (28/04/2021, 08:54) Like (156) Dislike (1) Reply
    That gravy train needs coming to a halt
  • Rubber Duck (28/04/2021, 08:58) Like (176) Dislike (0) Reply
    Really Claude, it’s very very simple. Just show people what you did for the money.
    Assuming of course that you did anything at all.
  • Heckler (28/04/2021, 09:02) Like (214) Dislike (1) Reply
    No wonder the VIP is harping on independence
  • Sheets (28/04/2021, 09:03) Like (187) Dislike (0) Reply
    Claude- your contracts were paid with tax payers money. Thus all your deliverables are subject to investigation. Perhaps they want to see if what you provided was commensurate to what you were paid. I would hate to think you gave 8th grade level reports with little to no material or viable business substance for $100k+.

    Everyone outside the BVI already knows how the cards fall in the BVI. The COI isn’t to investigate it- it’s just to confirm what they knew all along.

    Good luck to you brother.

  • always running he mouth on UK (28/04/2021, 09:03) Like (297) Dislike (0) Reply
    LEH HE TEK DAT!
  • wow (28/04/2021, 09:15) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
  • josiah'sbay (28/04/2021, 10:04) Like (2) Dislike (32) Reply
    I'm willing to bet that all UK's Agents and department heads whose salaries are being paid by VI tax payers are bloated. Are we so blind that we always see or are concerned with just one side of the equation?
  • Pram pram!! (28/04/2021, 10:27) Like (19) Dislike (6) Reply
    Hmmmmm....really??? Ooh dats why he so mad @ evry one & evry ting....like you knew da waz comin...wat a ting to tell the king or shud da be the queen....
  • tztztztz (28/04/2021, 10:32) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
  • AOC (28/04/2021, 10:44) Like (40) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sir, you are very loud and you talk a lot. I bet you never anticipated this type of investigation. [ bad boy, bad boy - what ya gonna do when they come for you?]
  • NB (28/04/2021, 11:06) Like (38) Dislike (0) Reply
    Uncle Claude, I gat popcorn and a big coco cola. Buddy this better than CSI. I anticipate lots of Seasons for this show
    • @NB (28/04/2021, 14:17) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      I got lamb kabobs with mint sauce and some white cranberry peach juice MANNN, THIS IS BETTER THAN THE NETFLIX SERIES THE LAST KINGDOM THAT I A WATCHING.
  • Krazy (28/04/2021, 11:15) Like (30) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes, let's hear what Claude has to say about this. All he does is open cans of worms and I don't see he doing anything for the BVI for that kind of money he is getting.
  • well sa (28/04/2021, 11:15) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    CSC; how many “private citizens” that were not supporting the VIP, got a $100,000+ contracts paid by tax payers?
  • HAHA (28/04/2021, 11:17) Like (35) Dislike (1) Reply
    Did anyone else burst out laughing when reading that headline?!?
  • PRAYERS WORKS (28/04/2021, 11:18) Like (32) Dislike (19) Reply
    GOOD JOB CoI. KEEP THE PRESSURE ON. WE HAVE BEEN SUBPRESSED, AND ARE BEING SUBPRESS FOR TOO LONG UNDER MODERN DAY PHAROAHS THAT CLAIMMING THAT THEY ARE WORKING FOR OUR BEST INTREST.
  • reason (28/04/2021, 11:51) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    When the cats are not looking the rats will play and do all sorts of mischief but when the cats comes back they'll running scared
  • Honestly Working (28/04/2021, 16:36) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well if your honestly speaking, sorry I mean working, you don't need a lawyer. All you have to do is present your documents to show and make sure they match with what government has and show value for money. Simple...Clean hands don't need to wash.
    If I work all week and get paid $500 and has my pay stub, I don't need a lawyer to show the police where I got my $500 from.
  • chatter box (28/04/2021, 17:03) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    He seems to chat a lot just to remain relevant, which I have no appreciation or tolerance for. However, if true, it would certainly be a biased investigation if the COI is not examining the contracts given out to Expats and all others to be sure BVI received value for the funds and other resources expended. I.E. use of government employee time and equipment for personal benefit.

    If Cline believes he is under scrutiny, why turn it into a public trial ahead of the COI work. Isn't that why he is hiring a lawyer to be his mouth piece? Sometimes we can be so smart until we outsmart ourselves.
  • Simpleton (28/04/2021, 20:20) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don't worry with them Claude, just give them 5% of the documents and hold back the 95% lol
  • The premier needed to bell his cat (29/04/2021, 00:13) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I always felt all that barking was too much and it would come back to bite you in the arse.
  • @ pimp wanna B (29/04/2021, 21:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I now begin to understand why you were HOLLERING > we gotta get more guns ON the streets
  • ting to talk (02/05/2021, 09:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    That j****s making noise about expatriates and is the same expats lawyers to come and spear his a** from going to jail .set of ungrateful idiots.
  • Oh My (02/05/2021, 14:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's about time. Too many contracts and nothing to show!!!!!


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