It vexes me gov’t appoints foreigner as new airport MD — Skelton Cline
Political commentator and former government consultant Pastor Claude Skelton Cline has hit out against the reported hiring of a St Lucian as Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority.
“How is it that we have once again employed a gentleman from St Lucia to be head of the BVI Airports Authority? Tell me how this is possible again,“ Skelton Cline said on his Honestly Speaking radio show yesterday.
The host, who said he was disappointed and disgusted at the reported move, noted that he was against the former government for making similar decisions of hiring foreign nationals for key posts in the territory.
“It causes my spirit to boil when I see this happening over and over and over and over again. It is unacceptable,” the clergyman said.
“You mean to tell me that we don’t have no locals that’s qualified to be the head of the BVI Airports Authority?” Skelton Cline then asked.
Do some headhunting
He dismissed as ‘nonsense’, any assertion that the post was advertised for months without receiving any applications from locals.
“When you have these key positions in your country, you don’t wait for locals to apply, you do some headhunting,” Skelton Cline insisted.
He chided the BVI Airports Authority board for their role in the process and suggested that recruiters should seek out locals from amongst their own for such posts to ensure that they get into the process and be the first in line for key positions.
Describing himself as an honest broker in the matter, Skelton Cline said he loves his St Lucian ‘brothers and sisters’, but questioned how locals continued to make the same fumbles and to drop the proverbial ball on the issue of recruitment.
Skelton Cline said he was certain that there are locals to fill the position, adding that he knows this because he has done his own research.
“Here we are, exporting more money out of the country,” he said.
The host said when he was Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, he did not wait for persons to apply for vacancies.
“There is something called headhunting. Who are the best persons to fit this post? Make them aware, cause them to apply, let them go through whatever your process is … and at the end, you have to ensure that your people hold these posts,” he stated.
“Do you think that I could go to St Lucia and be the head of the Airports Authority?”
Skelton Cline further argued that there are some posts, such as the airport Managing Director, that have national security implications.
Meanwhile, even though there has been no official announcement by government about the new appointment so far, Skelton Cline said he could not let the government off the hook for the apparent blunder.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Clearly the Govt should be appointing a consultant to lead on the recruitment. Any suggestions as to somebody willing to take on a consultancy role?
This is the only time that I 100% agree with CSC.
The only problem is that nobody wants to be connected to this sinking ship that is this government. So yes there are qualified locals but none want the job right now.
Yah, I think it is worth at least $100k to pay him to find someone. Or maybe just pay him and then hire him…
We do not always agree but I must admit that I am in 100% support of your position on this matter.
Let’s get it straight!. There are three BVI locals who can run the Airport. All three have Masters degrees and one even has a Law degree. But guess what? They were all at the airport at one time but all left because of the Board. Yes!! The Board is the problem!! Can’t you all see? and hear? the current Board is the problem. No one wants to work with them!!
“why should we look for outside help when we have people here who could do the work?”
He is based in st.lucia and is running things from there….Foy tried to take off myrun’s head for hiring a st.lucian to run the prison….Ayo remember?
I heard from the school children that the new St. Lucian to head the airport is SWEET with someone who had to go before the COICourt.
I heard he worships evil cats and does sorcery on sundays. Blasphemy!!
The irony of the situation, eh??
The government TT slipped out of this child of god’s mouth now so he is bawling out
That’s all this talking is about.
If you notice his topics have taken a big change.
well look who spewing out their so called HOLINESS ? and am not saying that if there are people here that can do the work, they should have the first preference , he forgetting all our ancestors came down here on the same boat ,Luke or not we are all related
Can we please send him back to Detroit?
You left and went to the US and lived the useful part of your life there. It was Caribbean people who helped to build this place. You came back to reap big contracts for doing nothing. Live and let live. We will need people to help us build and improve. Why don’t we send home all the people involved in financial services in the BVI and see what we have left. Stop your xenophobia. You are a pastor for christ’s sake.
It was ALWAYS US who built and managed OUR airport.
Not for Christ clealy
Talking about hiring locally, and then using this grammar?
You mean to tell me that we don’t have no locals that’s qualified to be the head of the BVI Airports Authority?” Skelton Cline then asked.
Perhaps it could have been: “Do you mean to tell me that we don’t have any locals that are qualified to be the Head…”
Mister you have so much confusion and hatred in your mind and heart ❤ you have no place in God’s kingdom
This so called pastor and Vincent Wheatley are Caribbean people haters.
Why is it that every time a bvislander try to look out for his own or try to defend a bvislander its always a problem?
It’t not. It’s when you try to defend and justify Claude The Fraud’s nonsense.
I hope the belongers can see how the VIP truly feel about them.
What we need to do is to humble ourselves, get all the experiences and the know how to run of departments efficiently and when we are satisfied we say thank you. How are we going learn from all the mishaps that came out of the COI. We need experience and to humble ourselves. I sat and see many of our people got big positions and wha a humiliation.
I see the same fir expats brought in to do nothing and collect big bucks for nothing.
Has anyone considered that directing our hiring strategy solely on nationality is akin to racism? I agree that we ought to try to recruit locally first, which if I understand was done, but to make a statement condemning a hire solely because they are not from here is concerning to come from an ordinary citizen much less a man of the cloth.
Think about it folks. This point of view, which covers nothing but a choice based on nationality (and hardly if at all considers qualifications available in a highly specialized industry) is disgraceful. I am disappointed to see so many people make little mention of this situation for what it is.
CSC is not looking for no ones interest he is only looking for his he is just upset that he is not getting free money again for doing nothing this man is not a man of God he is always trying to divide the people.
Does that mean locals are not qualified for these high positions?
Do we practice xenophobia?
Tolans should consider calling people aliens or down islanders, since these people are taking over the high paying jobs in the VI.
Didn’t vex you when they hired expat lawyers.
? ?point , and they calling them white and racist / but they went and hired them to defend themselves from the same people they say are racist ?? if that ain’t hypocrisy ,what is ? and defend from what ?
… I’d rather the person running the airport has run an airport before.
I agree with CSC to a certain extent. It really doesn’t look or feel good to see an expat in a role such as that. However, I sincerely believe that the govt did advertise and looked for local talent but none was interested. What the govt should be doing immediately is to ensure that a BV Islander/ Belonger/ Resident in that organization works closely with the director to one day take the position. I would hope that the same thing is being done in all govt organizations/departments.
Do you think that I could go to St Lucia and be the head of the Airports Authority?”
you shouldn’t of even held the post you had at port lol
This guy is a babbling Jack wagon. Maybe the man hired was best QUALIFIED for the job? Being from the BVI doesn’t make you the best qualified. Being from Detroit doesn’t make you qualified for nothing as we have all seen. Go sit yourself down.
Claud told the COI that his experience as a passenger on a cruise ship was his qualification to be manager of the ports . I am sure he has been on more plane flights than cruises so why not give him this job .
D Frazer was there. He left
C Levons was there. He left
C Smith was there . He left
K Flax was there . He left.
If the government or the board wanted locals for that top spot they would of made a succession plan to keep the MD seat warm for locals
Don’t forget the Financial Comptroller just left
Director of Operations just left
Head of Security just left (or forced out)
and the list goes on….
Sour grapes