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AUDIT: Skelton Cline paid more than Premier, Cabinet ministers

Former government consultant, Claude Skelton Cline.

Former government consultant Claude Skelton Cline reportedly took home more money than the Premier and other government ministers when he was contracted by the Andrew Fahie administration several years ago.

In his most recent quarterly report on the implementation of reforms arising from the Commission of Inquiry (COI), Governor John Rankin brought the issue into focus once again and pointed out that Skelton Cline’s remuneration of $16,330 per month was above that of Cabinet ministers or even the Premier. 

An audit carried out by the Auditor General’s Office showed that Skelton Cline received more than $365,000 of taxpayer funds without delivering on the requirements of his three contracts with the Virgin Islands Party government between 2019-2021.

Auditor General Sonia Webster concluded in her report that the primary purpose of the consultancy services Skelton Cline provided to government over the period in question “was not to add value to the government but rather to provide employment for the consultant (Skelton Cline)”.

The report also concluded that there was no indication of any demonstrated effort by the consultant to satisfy the deliverables stipulated in the contracts.

No valid trade licence

In the meantime, Governor Rankin said the audit also covered two additional contracts issued by way of tender waivers and a third contract issued whilst the consultant did not have a valid trade licence. 

“Projects the consultant reported to be involved with were wide-ranging, including climate resilience projects, COVID-19 related initiatives, cruise port development and revenue generating opportunities,” the Governor noted in his report. 

The audit found that Cline “failed to provide any analysis or assessment of the proposals” and that “none of these were progressed.” 

The audit report further concluded that there was “no regard for good governance and accountability in the use of public resources”. 

Skelton Cline has not been charged in relation his government contracts and has steadfastly refused to answer critics over the scathing audit report. The clergyman and former consultant announced previously that he felt “no compulsion” to defend himself over the damaging assertions made in the report. 

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37 Comments

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  1. FACIAL EXPRESSION says:

    IS SAYING )> CSC IS MAH NAME , CITY SLICKER IS MAH GAME , AND AS I SAID B4 AM AH PLAYER AND YA’LL AINT SEEN NUTTIN YET ?/ LORD PLEASE DON’T LET ME HAVE TO IMTRODUCE THEM TO MY little FRIEND ?

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  2. Help Jesus says:

    This man is just a terrible stain on the fabric of our country. Just a parasite. I want to see the assistance Covid grants audit. I hear that government representatives give the money to each others family.

    Like 49
    Dislike 1
  3. Genevieve says:

    This article should not be about Claudine making more than the premier and ministers. That shouldn’t be a problem for a technical or specialized job. The problem with Claude is delivery. This why these governments can’t get far because they want to compare them salary to people them higher with specialized profession. Now now Claude didn’t do any work and likely will be sued for that.

    Like 23
    Dislike 2
  4. Genevieve says:

    This article should not be about Claudine making more than the premier and ministers. That shouldn’t be a problem for a technical or specialized job. The problem with Claude is delivery. This why these governments can’t get far because they want to compare them salary to people them higher with specialized profession. Now now Claude didn’t do any work and likely will be sued for that.

  5. El Demonio Negro says:

    So you all arrest Thomas a year or so ago at least he actually built the wall but no arrest for suc batie dog mouth?

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  6. he is a smart-man says:

    Its not his fault that he was paid more than those.

    Like 7
    Dislike 7
  7. Wondering says:

    WHY? WHY was he hired and paid all that money? WHY?

    Like 14
  8. Silly People says:

    I’m pretty sure paying him what they did was a calculated decision and all was not his alone.

  9. Fed up says:

    These Clines and Turnbulls have no shame. Sick ah dem

    Like 18
  10. Reality Check says:

    The only return we will ever get is to lock him up so we can stop the senseless drivel regularly spewing from his mouth. That he is a pastor of the Christian Churches organization speaks to that organizations supposedly “Christian” values.

    Like 12
    Dislike 1
  11. As Barry Say says:

    Maybe the money he collected was not entirely for him as it was alleged that some of the Recipients of the Farmer and Fisherfolk grants were not really for those who collected the Checks. Monies were handed over to the intended recipients. It would have interested to interview all the Recipients who collected checks. The findings might have had some Heads rolling.

    Like 17
  12. Of Course says:

    Yes yes the BVI is and has always been extraordinarily generous to their updeislun destroyers,
    As the BVI sinks and crumbles they continue to import,install the destroyers to the extent that the faces names and islands of origins of members of the foreign abd dominant criminals are kept secret.

  13. uh says:

    Focusing on farmers & fishers shows how much hatred and bad mind there is similar to that student loan forgiveness. Why? Because over 1000 businesses received grants during covid, what makes the farmers and fishers a special target?

    No one asked how those businesses were doing and no one in the USA complained when nearly everyone got a covid grant. It was not unusual during the pandemic.

  14. Tired of this says:

    Are we going to continually talk about this until thy kingdom come, or do something about recouping monies if possible?

    Like 10
  15. Wow…. says:

    Not just a gas bag, but an expensive one. And, yet again more exidence of the rampant cronyism in the Territory.

  16. Skelton family says:

    Well csc was never arrested or charged we have a ball head guy in the HoA with those credentials

  17. pastorship says:

    such a criminal and still on the pulpit. I don’t blame him though, it is the hard head, faithful brainwash parishioners who believe these men are gods

  18. New York Pizza says:

    And ayo up there supporting his business. After taking our tax dollars and opening the pizzeria we should pass the place straight. We need to start setting examples.

  19. 54321 says:

    Beware of a man who feels the compulsion to use two surnames when only one is required. He’s announcing his con game, but no one seems to notice or even care for the warning.

  20. sturpss says:

    place jokey badd… not one of these crooks gone jail even though we know what happen. Well one of the crooks gone jail but another country had to do it for a totally different reason. Bottom line is the government is free to make poor decisions; And instead of making it harder for these poor decisions to be made going forward we fighting for even more freedom to continue making poor decisions.

  21. Blind man says:

    Mr Governor Rankin you making noise but you not doing anything about it who’s in charge of the police force if you have all this evidence present your case to the DPP and charge but if you just trying to throw smoke and can’t do anything about it or you want the premier to act when you’re the one ringing the bell man do your job or just shut up and go quietly. As Governor in charge of national security this country has fallen to crime like never before, UK cheif of police doing nothing the only react after the crime has been committed with no results at the end. Everyday you come into town no police officers present, if there is an accident on the treasure isle drive police take forever to get there even though the station right there we deserve better every month you and your officers get paid for what.

  22. Robbin’ Da Hood says:

    The greatest fleecing of the Treasury in broad daylight by Mr. Snake Oil Salesman! No value for money for value yuh say Mr. Guv? Quite contrary you see; he got those whom gave him those contracts elected and so…..they (politicians) got their value and Fra Klein got his cheddar….all in broad daylight lmfao…..

  23. BBC says:

    the record will show there was a GUY making 34,000.00 each so why you guys picking on cline

    Like 1
    Dislike 0
  24. hello says:

    CSC is a fugitive from Michigan

  25. vi says:

    Only in the Virgin island csc this man been an snake all of his life,

    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/how-motown-lost-its-bounce/article735490/

    Kwame Malik Kilpatrick … get caught CSc ran back to tortola if it was not for trump kwame would been in jail still serving his 28 years in prison snake always follow snake.this man need to be put in jail or pay back all the money

  26. Lol says:

    Not thy Kingdom…United Kingdom lol

  27. Clarity says:

    If this is so, why is he not being charged or made to pay back these funds to government?

  28. Its wrong to Blame CSC says:

    Blame the Gov and Britain. They had more than enough evidence to lock up all VIP and NDP Ministers for the Past 10 yrs and to take over this country, fix it and set things straight. CSC didn’t gave himself these contracts. The Gov and Britain are the ones to be blamed. They failed us.

  29. Mervyn says:

    God is expensive.

    It takes thousands of dollars each month to save sinners here from potholes, bank tellers, customs and immigration officers, and evil cats.

    My religion is tax free and I get a grant from the government to practice it. You should too

  30. Rubber Duck says:

    The Governor regularly produces these reports that show quasi and actual criminality.
    Then he does nothing.
    So the perps just laugh at him and carry on.
    Rankin is a big part of the problem.

  31. Resident says:

    The governor is damned if he do and damned if he don’t! You all shut up about the governor now. CSC should dig out all alyo eye. Alyo wanted the COI then turn around bashing Mr Higginbotham and the governor. Go siddung and shut TFU.

  32. Smell E says:

    Beware of Negros on pulpits and soapboxes whispering sweetnothings in your ears.
    This run away non BVIslander self adoptee of a
    convenient hyphenated surname, wanted in America hoodlum, wearing a satanic collar and robes while beating drums of discord projecting his evil doings and liability for harm to this territory on the Governor,any Governor, is the lowest and most dangerous of sludge and he looks like YOU.

  33. Earnings says:

    Don’t be fooled by the official public earnings, the Premier and several of the HoA members had their fingers in a lot of pies

  34. Lodger says:

    My father-in-law said to beware of vicars, catholics, double-barrelled surnames.

  35. The story of Eli says:

    Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and these two sons of Eli were very wicked. Both sons were priests like their father, but they abused their position and misused the people and their offerings. Whenever someone would come to the Temple to give their offerings to God (this offering was of meat), the two sons would send their servants to take the meat off the fire and bring it back to them.

    Now the custom of the time was that the priest could take the meat off the fire only after the fat had burned, but the two sons demanded that they get their meat raw. They even threatened to take it from some people by force. This was a great sin in the eyes of the Lord.

    Eli heard the news of this when he was very old, and he asked them several times why they were doing such things. He argued, “If a man sins against another man, one can intercede for him with the Lord; but if a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him? ” The sons did not listen to their father and they continued their evil ways, but Eli looked the other way and ignored their crimes.

    God was not happy with this at all and he sent a man of God to give Eli a message. God had chosen Eli’s family as the ones who would be the priests, but God told him, through the messenger, that he honored those who honored him. Because of Eli’s great dishonor, God gave him a punishment.

    God condemned that every man of Eli’s family shall never be an old man and that Hophni and Phinehas shall both die on the same day. God also established a new priest and a lasting house for him. Those who would be left of Eli’s family would grovel at the feet of the new priest.

  36. Soon come says:

    Next thing we going be saying # free csc

  37. leh we says:

    tar n feather he false prophet m-d—-nt

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