‘I built that pier, not McMaster’ — Skelton Cline
Former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, Claude Skelton-Cline has sought to set the record straight regarding claims that former Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Works Ministry, Anthony McMaster helped to forge the Tortola Pier Park into what it is today.
Those claims had come from Opposition legislator and former Works Minister, Mark Vanterpool during a recent contract signing. He praised McMaster for the work done on the Pier Park while he (Vanterpool) was his boss.
Vanterpool argued at the time that McMaster, who now serves as the Acting CEO of the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA), should be confirmed in his new post and no longer be made to act, given all that he has achieved.
But Skelton-Cline, who said he understood and agreed with the minister’s point in championing McMaster’s cause, felt there was an error made in attributing the success of the Tortola Pier Park to McMaster and the ministry.
“What I don’t agree with, with my minister; he said that McMaster built the pier … That’s not true,“ Skelton-Cline stated on his Honestly Speaking radio programme.
According to Skelton-Cline, the pier was built by the body corporate under his leadership along with a team that he assembled at the BVI Ports Authority.
I should get credit for the good if I get blamed for the bad
He also had a retort for any potential critics who disagreed with his claim.
“You all don’t look at me funny either, because it’s my name you all like to call when anything negative comes up about it. So I don’t want to hear you,” Skelton Cline said.
He added: “So [the minister] was trying to make a point but used that. But that wasn’t the best example, that was not built by the ministry, that was not built by the then PS.”
Skelton Cline said he wanted to be clear that credit should be given where it is due.
“Since you all want to give me all the flack for it, well doggone it, at some point put your hands together and applaud and clap for the team that was assembled there under my leadership in building that Tortola Pier Park,” the radio talk show stated.
He added that McMaster should indeed be confirmed in his post, but not under the ‘truth’ that he built the Pier Park.
“Confirm him for all the other work he’s done and continues to do, I’m for that. But let’s keep the record clear and straight,” Skelton Cline said.
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You should have stayed wherever you were it was nice not hearing your BS every week.
Totally agree with You!
McMaster was responsible for making the Pier Park the success that it is today. He had managed numerous other projects at the RDA – on budget and on time.
Claude O(for overspend) Skelton-Cline oversaw a $40m overspend at the Pier Park, and according to the Auditor General did not deliver on his various consultancies with the Govt.
And I also heard he created the internet, Bitcoin, and Twinkie’s. Mmmmmm. Twinkies
Bravo sir. Bravo.
Your statue is currently under construction and will be placed at Pockwood Pond
They blamed you for the building overrun, now they trying to give someone else the credit for building it. Set of cr**ks
You should be in j**l too
COI will see to that.
Well, he right about this one.
Yeah rite ,he built , he complex / PeebLes and the college tOO , oH, his excellency GOLDYLOX contributed his knowledge ,( without him we would of still been in slavery , thank U mister esteemed one ?
When are we going to send this man to p**son where he belongs? He *** self need to shut up wit he bragging about his lack of delivery on project that helped bankrupt our country. What a ting? You couldn’t make this crap up.
L**k him up!
We need to go Swiss and have some real referendum up in dis place.
1) Independence
2) Prosecution of Claude and Julian Willock
3) Change our voting system so you must be voted for at large to be premier. This some real foolishness that a man who only voted on be the people of the 1st can be the leader for all a we.
4) Madatory 20 year prison sentences for unregistered gun possesion
5) Ban the scooters dem
Let the people decide
Set the record straight Claude!
Well now we know exactly who to put in jail!
And you built your house too! How can they forget to give you credit for the Pier Park and your House!. Shame on VIP not to acknowledge your hard work.
….and *** house. It wasnt a $50m overrun it was social homes for cronies….
It’s OK , AND IS GOING TO LET HIM BUILD THE CASINO ,SO HE WILL BE GIVEN CREDIT FOR BLESSING ALL THE MONEY ? THAT PASSES IN AND OUT OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE CREATIVE DREAM ?, WHAT A SET OF GANSTERS
Took long. Was waiting to hear that Trumpet blowing loud…Truth be told. Hate or like CSC. He get things done. He was a major player one the main engine in bringing this product to reality
Taking credit for turning a $30m project into a $80m WITHOUT the main building (which was supposed to be Margaritaville) takes the biscuit. Can he explain why the project was 3X budget?
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” NIV
I think Claude should look this verse up. He seems to have skipped that page in Bible Study.
Fighting for accolades !! This Minister never stops !!! He spent all his life oversees come like a hot rod and wants to bulldoze the the man for his contribution
Where is the neighborhood watch contribution?
Where is the benifit for all of what you were paid to do ?
Go sit down
So was it you Claude that took all the monies for Eastend sewer project to spend on TPP ?
Applauding the Pier Project with your name attached defeats the good and deserving intentions.
Your name attached or affiliated muddies and sullie
Your name attached and or affiliated is a precursor to the not good look of any and all things, as you well know.
Let us have our joy. Thank You.
The BVI had no chance of getting a world class pier until I developed a plan, created a Joint Venture and designed 100% of what is now Pier Park. Mark and Cline didn’t know a cruise ship form a Catamaran when i meet them. I prepared a pitch introduced NCL and Disney to the PM Orlando Smith and the rest is fiasco that left me being owed $2 million Dollars and with the loss of 20% of the port equity.
Let’s publish a true time line of the story and see who did what and where the lost $45 Million went. I have all the details and can certainly set the record straight!
He is technically right he played a huge role in the Pier Park both good and bad. Although the Pier Park is a good thing we could have achieved the same results without the millions overspent and probably without him at the helm.
So he admits it was his fault over spending all that money that could have gone unto the schools – I would like the CoI too look at the Pier Park bills and trace where the money went.
Anyone notice the colors and materials on the fancy north shore place that went up around the same time? Schoolchildren know.
And the school children ain’t lie. Claude don’t have no shame. He needs to go sit down and stop looking attention.
The missing building at the pier park is his house