BVI News

FS Frett says Skelton Cline put forward over $5M in initiatives

Financial Secretary Jeremiah Frett

Financial Secretary (FS) Jeremiah Frett jumped to the aid of embattled clergyman and government consultant, Claude Skelton Cline, when Frett appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) yesterday, October 5.

The FS said Skelton Cline had helped to move forward a raft of government initiatives that may have netted millions of dollars.

Skelton Cline was given an initial six-month government contract valued more than $100,000 after the Fahie Administration first entered office in 2019. He was subsequently issued another two contracts after the initial one.

Based on the contract he was given, Skelton Cline was, among other things, responsible for developing and delivering a minimum of three initiatives within 12 months which would generate $5 million.

During the COI hearing, Frett rattled off a list of initiatives that Skelton Cline was involved in, including several that never advanced beyond the discussion phase, for various reasons.

The FS, who served as Skelton Cline’s direct supervisor, listed FinTech, cruise development works, telecommunications, shore development, ‘1,000 jobs in 1,000 days’, and medicinal marijuana as some of the many projects the clergyman helped to advance.

“When I do look at the document in the document [detailing what Skelton Cline accomplished], can the document perhaps be more advanced, more detailed? Of course, more meat to them can help as well. But I would say if you look at that listing that was presented there, there is well over $5 million of potential initiatives for the government,” Frett concluded.

Skelton Cline more of a ‘facilitator’ that contractor

But according to Skelton Cline, many of the contract deliverables were essentially impossible to achieve since they required government authorisation for final and effective completion.

During his recent evidence before the commission, Skeleton Cline contended that he acted more like a facilitator than a contractor as part of his obligations in achieving those objectives.

Meanwhile, the FS suggested that Skeleton Cline should not be blamed for some of the onerous deliverables that were drafted in the contract.

“When we are drafting contracts, we have to be realistic of what powers or what constraints the consultant or person has, we have to be mindful of that,” Frett said.

He pointed to the example of a Brandywine Bay Project that went as far as public meetings but for various reasons was never advanced any further.

He agreed that while some of the deliverables may have been considered impossible, Skelton Cline was able to contribute usefully to the general policy goals of the government.

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29 Comments

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  1. What!!!! says:

    Please read carefully before commenting
    “Over 5 million of POTENTIAL initiatives “
    Was anything ever accomplished or was it all potential??

    Like 71
    • AM says:

      I am a P, I am a PROMISE. Can’t wait to go secure the bag (some government contracts) with some POTENTIAL initiatives. *Rubs hands together Claude Skelton-Clinely*

      I hate everyone. I don’t want to knock his hustle, but people out here BAWLING out for help, and you have man dem walking home some people yearly salary, in two months, off ONE contract. I should just watch and take notes instead of being a hater, but I’m in my feelings.

      Like 26
  2. Wtf! says:

    What kinda foolishness is this!!!!

    Like 41
  3. Resident says:

    csk is not a guy i would risk my reputation for

    Like 56
    • Unconventional leadership says:

      @resident. Not even the kind of guy I would be seen associating with much less defending. The guy obviously has a few friends. The FS obviously came out yesterday to see what can be done to fix a train wreck. The most he could have done for him is maybe netted over 5 mil. Maybe if he hadn’t choose legality over morality in demanding the gratuity check maybe the Lord might have forgiven him. Maybe now that you came in defence of namely questionable character, maybe mr fs we will look at you differently.

      Like 31
  4. Day Dreaming says:

    Blue sky thinking, we can all dream a profit , not a single idea of his own, a thousand jobs in a thousand days sound bite. Medical marijuana what next strippers with longer legs!

    Like 37
  5. itstime says:

    As we the people of the BVI know it was all potential, Jeremiah Frett shut TFU.

    Like 46
  6. Penitentiary says:

    Is the FS is defending a person who has the potential to be incarcerated for a very long time?

    Like 39
    Dislike 1
  7. Le Canard says:

    If you would like a list of “ potential “ initiatives which “ could “ bring in $50 million , please send me $100,000 plus tax free gratuity.

    Like 39
    • @Le Canard says:

      I will beat your bid and offer the government a list of potential initiatives that could bring $100 million for the same amount you ask, plus tax gratuity, plus holiday leave, sick pay, pension, travel allowance of $700 a month to be factored into the contract as an error so that I can insist upon it being honoured later. Plus guarantee of extension even if nothing is actually brought to fruition because “is government who have the authority and not me.” What a job to have. CSC, yuh large!

      Like 18
  8. COI deliverables in order of importance says:

    1. Replace Financial Secretary with someone who knows what they are doing.

    2. Replace Financial Secretary with someone who knows what they are doing.

    3. Replace Financial Secretary with someone who knows what they are doing.

    Like 39
  9. Oh dear says:

    So no one employed by Govt could come up with these ideas?

    Like 28
  10. Bumpy says:

    Jerry I lose all respect for you. Why would you come out in defense of this shameless, despicable piece of s**t is beyond any one’s comprehension. Pull yourself together mi boy. Association with CSK is not an asset. You are going to smell.

    Like 37
    Dislike 1
  11. WOW says:

    This guy sits in the FS chair and listen to him. Any doubt that the UK will really come for this place? So let me get this straight! I can go online, google different things, present them to government as great potential and be paid over $200K for it? WHAT THE F**K???????????? You are telling me that cruise ship expansion, canabis, gambling and othe things are CSC’s own ideas? That the most jr. person sitting in government office couldn’t come up with these things? Have you ever seen a company pay an employee for ‘potential’ work? Can you imagine owning a company and paying your marketing manager top dollar not on proven sales but solely on potential?

    Like 38
    • @ WOW says:

      Tell us in clear language:

      1) Who gave the UK the authority to “come for this place?”

      2) Under what legal and upright moral terms did the UK come in control/ownership of “this place?”

      3)Why are there no indgigenous people left in “this place?”

      4)Will the UK bring them back when they come to “take back this place?”

      3)Doesn’t the offspring of the people who soley, directly and by themselves,with their unpaid labour, blood, sweat, tears and murder, while suffering horrendous other atrocities, manufactured UK’s primary wealth deserve to have something for themselves?”

      4) Does/will want and take all for self while disregarding the humanity of others make others and the UK better people with greater human sensitivity, compassion and honor?”

      4) Will, as in the past, “taking back this place” restore the EMPIRE?”

      5) WILL THE CAUCASION EVER GROW A HEART, SOUL AND A MIND OF COMPASSION FOR THE BLACK MAN, WHO WITHOUT HIM, WOULD NOT BE MUCH OF ANYTHING?”

      Last, given Admin’s publishing record and practices, these question are sure to cause them much constenation, and thus may not be published. Hope you and others get a chance to read them and then do some deep introspecting though.

      Like 1
      Dislike 18
  12. nen says:

    netted for who?!?!

  13. BVIslander says:

    The BVI has or used to have competent and honest civil servants but it seems that they have mostly been corrupted by the many corrupt politicians and corrupt govt practices. If we don’t do a complete cleaning of the govt systems we will be back in the same place we are in now in under a decade. The arrests back in 2004 were not comprehensive and left the seeds of corruption in the system and they festered and grew now we have a much bigger problem as a result. Please make the check thorough and properly clean house

    Like 21
  14. Anonymous says:

    They never said he was a contractor he was a consultant.

  15. WORST FS IN BVI HISTORY says:

    THIS MAN IS THE WORST FS IN BVI HISTORY!!!!

    Like 11
    Dislike 3
  16. Good says:

    I am going to send an email to Oil Nut Bay right now telling them to build 5 more villas and they can make $20-$30 Mil. I’m expecting no less than $250k in my account within one month of my email whether they break ground or not! Thanks Mr. Frett, and here I was stressing myself working a 9-5 when all I had to do is submit ideas with the potential of revenue. I can’t believe I was so stupid all these years, thanks again!

    Like 18
  17. Oh says:

    I think yuh either a contractor or an employee. If you’re not an employee, you’re a contractor. A consultant usually suggests contractor as opposed to employee so he could be both .. a contracted consultant.

  18. @ Oh says:

    You all go figure it out That is what you all getting paid for. Childish stupid people.

  19. Surprised? says:

    I mean, what did you all expect the man to say. He was given his marching orders and he executed. Yes, it is sad but true. Direct ‘supervisor’?!

  20. Potential says:

    All those potential ideas came with the first contract. So where are the potentials for the second contract? I got it, he is one a wee with potential.

  21. Randle Cobb says:

    This story is bulls**t…they can’t afford to show how incompetent the decision makers have been

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