Veiled Transparency: RDA operates like NDP Gov’t – Skelton-Cline
The ‘Honestly Speaking’ host this time, is comparing the agency, to that of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which he says has veiled transparency and accountability in revealing exactly how it functions in carrying out its mandate.
Substitute Government
“The substitute government mandated by the United Kingdom in the name of the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) which is supposed to be the model for transparency and accountability juxtaposed to the National Democratic Party Government, has been tried and found wanting,” the ZBVI radio host said in a release dated December 21, 2018.
“We still do not [know] how they are being funded. We still do not know the compensation package for the CEO or any of its employees,” he said.
On Thursday, December 20, 2018, it was unearthed in the Virgin Islands House of Assembly (HoA), that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RDB Board, Mr Paul D. Bayly is being paid more than the Premier.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL)—in a question and answer segment—had said that Mr Bayly is receiving a whopping $300,000 salary per annum, plus allowances amounting to some $8,333 per annum.
Mr Skelton-Cline continues, “We still do not know and have not seen a budget for its operations. We still do not know its procurement procedures and/or regulations. We still do not know the substance nor priorities in the recovery and development plan.” This he says, is reminiscent of the way the NDP government operates in secrecy.
Local Companies
During his Tuesday, November 27, 2018, commentary on his ‘‘Honestly Speaking’ show, Mr Skelton-Cline had brought attention to a contract awarded to Ridgeview Construction (BVI) Ltd, for repairs to the Virgin Gorda, Police barracks.
That contract was inked on November 20, 2018, for a sum of US$766,028.71 with a project life of five and a half months.
“On one hand, we hear contracts south of two million dollars are to be designated for ‘local companies’ but we read (fussy definitions) where some regional company is being morphed into the pool of ‘local companies’. Hence being awarded a contract that was supposedly designated for locals,” he points out in his release.
With Ridgeview’s principals being based in Barbados, the radio host has accused the RDA of breaching its own rules to side-line locals from small contracts. “Why is it a company, it looks like the principles are based out of Barbados, not a local company, is doing the repairs on the Virgin Gorda, Police barracks?” Mr Skelton-Cline asked on his radio show.
Accountability
According to Mr Skelton-Cline, CEO, Mr Bayly, “is unclear or seems to have his own definition of what constitutes a local company”
However, he says Board members of the RDA—especially local members—should be held accountable for bringing clarity and ensuring that the executives of the RDA are guided accordingly.
“If the persons (locals) at the Board level are not looking out for the interest of their own people in a clearly defined and transparent way, who will?” he questioned.
Mr Skelton-Cline says that at the moment, the RDA is behaving no different than the NDP Government, “Unfair and marginalized treatment of locals. Veiled transparency. Minimal accountability. All of which results in poor governance.”
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9 Responses to “Veiled Transparency: RDA operates like NDP Gov’t – Skelton-Cline”
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