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'I had many concerns' with Skelton-Cline's contracts– Hon Flax-Charles

- Now resigned VIP member Hon Shereen D. Flax-Charles said Gov’t backbenchers had no say
Junior Minister for Trade, Economic Development, Agriculture and Fisheries Hon Shereen D. Flax-Charles has revealed that right at the start of the Government consultancy contracts with Claude O. Skelton-Cline, she had concerns with the arrangement. Photo: VINO/File
While the minister said there were opportunities to better discuss the contracts, government backbenchers or the opposition hardly has a say. Photo: VINO/File
While the minister said there were opportunities to better discuss the contracts, government backbenchers or the opposition hardly has a say. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Junior Minister for Trade, Economic Development, Agriculture and Fisheries Hon Shereen D. Flax-Charles (AL) has revealed that right at the start of the Government consultancy contracts with Claude O. Skelton-Cline, she had concerns with the arrangement.

During the Third Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly in Road Town on February 21, 2023, Hon Flax-Charles, during the debate on a Report from the Auditor General, said the AG Report speaks for itself, with three things standing out: value for money, transparency, and honesty.

The AG, Ms Sonia M. Webster, concluded that in three consultancy contracts given to Skelton-Cline, he was paid exorbitantly and that his contribution to the success of the initiatives surrounding the contracts was marginal at best. 

However, Hon Flax-Charles said while she is disturbed by some of the findings in the report, she had concerns and questions over the contracts from the beginning and that she was even visited by Mr Skelton-Cline in her office.

"The contracts that were issued, Madam Speaker, I had many concerns. I asked questions. I asked to see the contract. I was visited by Mr Cline at my office and I was shown a contract, Madam Speaker, that was not signed."

Examine current Cabinet system- Hon Flax-Charles 

While the Junior Minister said there were opportunities to better discuss the contracts, she said: “The fact that the backbenchers or the Opposition, really and truly don’t have a say when decisions are made is concerning to me and will continue to be."

Hon Flax-Charles continued, "While I am not a member of Cabinet and others are not, I believe, Madam Speaker, that is a major challenge for us as a country where five persons make up the Cabinet and you only need three to say yes,” she said.

The ex-Virgin Islands Party (VIP) member questioned if the current system reflects real democracy and urged legislators to look at the Cabinet system and think about changing it for the future.

34 Responses to “'I had many concerns' with Skelton-Cline's contracts– Hon Flax-Charles”

  • Hypothetically (23/02/2023, 11:49) Like (25) Dislike (32) Reply
    No one wants to hear from her
  • Jumping on the Bandwagon! (23/02/2023, 11:49) Like (36) Dislike (4) Reply
    I remember this lady shouting about a lot of things but I don’t remember her ever expressing a view about these contracts.
    Head Coach raised the contracts in the HoA but she kept quiet.
    • ??? (23/02/2023, 13:32) Like (19) Dislike (6) Reply
      She did mentioned that Backbenchers had NO say which I believe her because the Primier at that time was bullying VIP Cabinet at that time. He ran the show as if he was the Head Honcho and do as he says or get out.
      • Rubber Duck (23/02/2023, 15:29) Like (18) Dislike (4) Reply
        If she is not capable of standing up for herself she should not be a member of the HoA - you provide absolutely no excuse for her failure to speak at the time. Captain Hindsight properly describes her.
        • Rubber Duck (23/02/2023, 17:02) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
          Get your own name. Though as it happens I entirely agree. We are going to see a lot of retroactive disapproval of things they happily went along with at the time.
          • Well Well (23/02/2023, 21:44) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
            Don`t you all understand ? she is not a part of cabinet. so she could not vote for anything.
      • Oh No (28/02/2023, 07:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Does all the little ducklings walk the line????
    • Hmm (23/02/2023, 23:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Wish I could like this 100 times!
  • Hush (23/02/2023, 11:50) Like (43) Dislike (9) Reply
    But, yet you kept your big trap shut. Lady please
  • please (23/02/2023, 11:58) Like (36) Dislike (6) Reply
    When it was put before the House for a vote, how did you vote? For or Against?

    Did you make your concerns known by voting NO? If not, coming here after the fact to say that you had serious concerns means nothing to john public
  • oh really (23/02/2023, 11:59) Like (23) Dislike (1) Reply
    They all need to go, and the system cleaned up!!!!! Because, they all contributed to where we are now and will continue to throw each other under the BUS... Are we in neutral, park, drive or reverse. I say reverse. Stop and clean it all up.
  • resident (23/02/2023, 12:06) Like (29) Dislike (2) Reply
    but you said nothing
    • Norris Turnbull (23/02/2023, 13:26) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply

      @resident. Agree with you. She kept her r@$$ quiet. I don't want to hear her now after the dam fact.

  • Real Talk (23/02/2023, 12:24) Like (24) Dislike (9) Reply
    Mrs Charles please start cleaning your office because you will not be elected again done deal
    • BVIslan (23/02/2023, 16:21) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
      Charles, pack your bag and leave, hope the political door will knock you on your way OUT. We are disappointed in you, and others: UK rule for awhile, in an effort to cleanse, bye all.



  • Lord 0. (23/02/2023, 13:31) Like (20) Dislike (5) Reply
    U all need to stop beating up on the man now he is at his most vulnerable stage, that's what weak people do, you all were peavy to all the information before or soon after and none of you all shout and scream in opposition, all when the public was saying these things ain't right. Its not just CSC, you also had EZ, Farmers Fishers and more. This will be you all record as long as you all live.. So, don't try to run, hide, or blame..
  • ??? (23/02/2023, 13:41) Like (13) Dislike (13) Reply
    Mrs Charles, don't mind all the Naysayers and Critics. They trying to underminded and discredit your person. I like the fact as a woman you held your ground and speak out on subject matters pertaining to the Territory especially on the Sister Islands. Don't be threatened by those who feels that you are not performing your duties when they knew that as a Backbencher you had no say, also as a Junior Minister you were still limited as what you could do. I applaud you for being out spoken and will encourage others to give you the chance to prove you are sufficient and effective enough to fight and work for the People. Especially the 9th District. Since Hon.R.T.O'Neal, the Sister Islands haven't been represented or threated fruitfully.
  • AI (23/02/2023, 13:56) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Don’t trust none!
  • DAVIE (23/02/2023, 13:58) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    you all singing a different tune now so why did you all support it at first some politicians have a lot to answer to God
  • FACIAL EXPRESSIONS (23/02/2023, 14:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    is saying )> ( her ) ah got played ,/ ( the holy one ) am ah tell ya'LL , it ain't looking good for me
  • Biggs (23/02/2023, 16:28) Like (7) Dislike (4) Reply
    Anybody who votes for this woman issa born idiot!
  • People (23/02/2023, 16:48) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    You folks really don’t listen when our representatives talk or maybe you all have selective hearing and selective writing.
    Some of y’all don’t have the knowledge as to how your politics function.
    There was no vote in the house for this thing with Cline.
    This was done with The Premier and Cline in secret.
  • time will tell (23/02/2023, 19:12) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Every story has three sides. It is easy to join the well organized attacks but time always have a way to let the other side come out and then the truth. At that time the few of you blogging negatively over and over will regret your comments.
  • more (23/02/2023, 22:55) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    The more I hear and read the more I realize we elected to may people who are more emotionally wired than are mentally fit for these offices.
  • Josiahsbay (24/02/2023, 08:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Lashing Dogs ask the question" who to blame"? Everything that we are alleging about this lady can be alleged about everyone else". The government needs reforms that can fix it; we yell and scream about the damaging results of their actions; but we don't demand putting anything in place to reduce bad governance. "There's nobody to blame but ourselves".
  • WE SHOULDA LISTEN (24/02/2023, 09:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    WE WERE WARNED BY ALVIN CHRISTOPHER ABOUT THIS GUY
  • useless (24/02/2023, 09:32) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    But you said nothing... Why be vocal now? Go away.
  • believe me (24/02/2023, 09:34) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
    • Another wake up call. (26/02/2023, 19:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well somebody seems to know a great piece of our past. That was our wake up call when a Governor was supposed to attend Court to defend charges brought against him, and rather than doing so ,he immediately fired the AG. Ezekial chapter 33.
      I want to believe that the Mighty Macko had captured BVI Calypso competition with a Song " she read Ezekiel 33 for this Country" .but i stand to be corrected. I also believe that the AG was deported immediately. I stand to be corrected like i said. My ten cent piece.


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