BVI News

My ministry but Ralph O’Neal had final say in CSC’s contract — Fahie

From left: Former Education Minister and current Premier, Andrew Fahie; government consultant for the controversial Neighbourhood Partnership Project Claude Skelton Cline; former Premier, the late Ralph T O’Neal.

Premier Andrew Fahie has told the Commission of Inquiry (COI) that although the Neighbourhood Partnership Project (NPP) was under his Education Ministry at the time, it was run by former Premier, the late Ralph T. O’Neal. 

The controversial project, executed between 2009-2010 by Claude Skelton Cline’s consultancy, was the subject of a scathing report by Auditor General, Sonia Webster, which showed that more than half-a-million dollars was spent with little to no value in return. 

“I would state very clearly that the Premier [Ralph O’Neal] was the one — the then Premier — who was keeping a very keen eye on this project,” Premier Fahie told the Commission yesterday. 

He continued: “I can’t remember whether it came under his budget or my budget in the ministry, but he was keeping a very keen eye on it and he had a right to because the environment was not good at that time with our young people with the number of fights and gangs that were happening so is not something that was being done in isolation and just being done willy nilly.”

Premier Fahie also told the Commission that any minister that served under Premier O’Neal, would readily say that O’Neal personally approved all projects and signed all contracts. 

Fahie, through a written statement read aloud to the COI, said he received numerous accounts from persons about young people whose lives had been improved by the project. 

Based on what Fahie said he recalls, the ill-fated project was more mired by politics than by performance. 

Premier Fahie said he believed, and was also told by ministry officials at the time, that the project was yielding valuable benefits, yet he was ultimately forced to pull the plug on the project.

“My recollection is that it was the failure of Mr Skelton Cline’s consultancy to produce the full reports I requested over some months and not any substantive concerns about the benefit of the project that ultimately convinced me that I should speak to the Premier about curtailing it,” Fahie said. 

He further told the COI that he could not recall ever having any discussion with Skelton Cline at the time and that all his involvement was primarily through interactions with ministry officials.

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45 Comments

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  1. Tattle tales says:

    Your PS Morton needs to be questioned by this by the COI. You could remember about slavery days but couldn’t remember conveniently who your PS was at the time of the contract and this was after praying. If PS Morton allow her uncle name to be stained with this without saying what she knows then she is just like you. We all know that Ralph had nothing to do with this contract.

    Like 64
    Dislike 5
    • L**r says:

      The r**ist Foy knows he and his dish***rable Ministers are doomed. He loves his Caribbean brothers and sisters yet treats them like sub human. The Foy is a blight on the BVI, a l**r and a cr***nal. He sealed the fate of the BVI in his rant about slavery, reparations and Belongership. He managed to turn anyone sympathetic to the Belonger against them. In the past I thought it enough to remove the corrupted ones from government. Now it’s clear they need to be prosecuted and sent to prison. Crimes against the Territory. Thank you Sir Gary and Mr Rawat for bringing the truth to light. Foy prayed before the hearing for that and he received it.

      Like 31
      Dislike 1
      • Sleeping Dogs says:

        I recall very well, the srveral times the then ministry of Communication nd Works getting up in the HoA to speak about that project. Every time, then minister Fahie got up to block the discussion. At times Fahie’s disaggreement got so strong and the discussion getting so heated that the Speaker calked a recess. That happened more than once. The disaggreement from second district Christopher was about “no value for money”. After all, he was a member of the Public Accounts Commitee.

    • Yep says:

      You summed it up perfectly. We all know ralph was not involved. Andrew lower than low.

      Like 23
    • Ganga says:

      Blame dead guy? Smooth.

      Like 16
    • Shabba says:

      But she caught me on the counter (Wasn’t me)
      Saw me bangin’ on the sofa (Wasn’t me)
      I even had her in the shower (Wasn’t me)
      She even caught me on camera (Wasn’t me)
      She saw the marks on my shoulder (Wasn’t me)
      Heard the words that I told her (Wasn’t me)
      Heard the screams gettin’ louder (Wasn’t me)

      Like 15
    • what a guy says:

      the people who were in VIP back then know the truth. D3, former D2, former D7 and all who were in VIP gov back then know nuttin go so. The truth going come out, just wait. The biggest joke is he praying as if he full of holy spirit. stop mocking God de man

      Like 21
  2. Kickback program says:

    It is clear that CSC ran several ‘kickback’ programs and that politicians clearly understood the benefit of these programs..to themselves

    Like 60
    Dislike 1
  3. Le Canard says:

    He said he didn’t want to tarnish his name , but everything was Ralph O’Neals fault.

    Like 57
    Dislike 2
  4. Hail Mary pass-the buck says:

    Blame it on a dead legend. U getting tarred and feathered jaba the hut. Tender for crane rental.

    Like 35
    Dislike 2
  5. itstime says:

    I was told back in 2019 that there were talks about the Neighborhood Partnership Project and Andrew Fahie name was called, the person who told me this asked me not to vote for him because he is bad news, I said to myself that everyone deserves a second chance and we were so sick of the NDP I voted for him what a letdown. He blamed the last AG for things because he wasn’t here to defend himself, but I am sure the COI could have reached him if they needed to, but as we know that there is no chance of ever getting in touch with the late Ralph T. O’Neal. Andrew how much lower can you go to save your a**?

    Like 49
    Dislike 3
    • Anonymous says:

      Lol who you think you are fooling with that bogus story. You don’t have to justify to readers of BVInews why you don’t plan on voting for Fahie or why you don’t like him. Do you, no need for cap.

      Like 2
      Dislike 24
  6. heckler says:

    Wow! can you imagine this guy throwing the late premier under the bus just to save face?

    Like 44
  7. good to great says:

    HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

    Like 30
  8. caution says:

    Foy is d***erous and if you think I lie ask Frazer

    Like 27
  9. O LORD says:

    and as the saying goes a drowning man will grasp at a piece of straw . who is going to get blamed next ??? ( it wasn’t me

    Like 26
  10. VI Gyal says:

    and this is why your Ministers cannot make decisions either unless you have the final say.

    Like 27
  11. JUAN PING says:

    All of you hungry for power NDP merchants can’t wait to see A Fahie fall from his glory.

    God put the man there and only God will remove him. So you all here blogging all sorts of nonsense will not get you no where.

    Hungry for power belly makes the most noise.

    Like 4
    Dislike 46
    • @Juan says:

      Fall again? You have got to be kidding me. The guy is SHAMELESS!

      Like 22
    • LOVING BVI says:

      THey like vultures hovering ….Fahie stay strong

    • BuzzBvi says:

      Everybody got to wake up. NDP is not the answer. We need to move on from NDP and VIP. Even if the UK take control again for a while, of this territory that is clearly adrift, we need a new way, a better way. I had hopes for Natalio, but failed, for many of the others also, but they all fall in step, a bad step. So sorry for us that there are so few people of the people that want to work for the people of the VI and not for themselves and their friends and family. there is a better way. The people of the VI need to find it. COI may help us to do that. If not, then what. Fahie led independence………..WT?

  12. @ VI GYAL says:

    hey ? to the fighting QUEEN ,from VG , can we get a response on what has been brought to our attention by the COI on what is really going on in our government with our taxpayers $$$$$$$$$ PLEASE ( HOLLER AT US gently ?

  13. L Ipton says:

    Pure contradictions by Fahie…

    “…The Neighbourhood Partnership Project (NPP) was under his Education Ministry at the time, it was run by former Premier, the late Ralph T. O’Neal”

    “I would state very clearly that the Premier [Ralph O’Neal] was the one — the then Premier — who was keeping a very keen eye on this project”

    Unfortunately however, Fahie disclosed that it was he who pull the plug on the former O’Neal’s pet project. “…the project was yielding valuable benefits, yet he was ultimately forced to pull the plug on the project” Was he more powerful than the former Premier?

    The COI has a lot more to reveal.

    Like 27
    • 2030 says:

      This Whole Thing Sounds Confusing. But when a person l**ng, what else is expected.

      “Premier Andrew Fahie … although the Neighbourhood Partnership Project (NPP) was under his Education Ministry at the time, it was run by former Premier, the late Ralph T. O’Neal.

      I would state very clearly that the Premier [Ralph O’Neal] was the one — the then Premier — who was keeping a very keen eye on this project,…

      … “I can’t remember whether it came under his budget or my budget in the ministry, but he was keeping a very keen eye on it … so is not something that was being done in isolation and just being done willy nilly.”

      Premier Fahie also told the Commission that… O’Neal personally approved all projects and signed all contracts.

      … he received numerous accounts from persons about young people whose lives had been improved by the project.

      Based on what Fahie said he recalls, the ill-fated project was more mired by politics than by performance.

      Premier Fahie said he believed, and …, that the project was yielding valuable benefits, yet he was ultimately forced to pull the plug on the project.

      My recollection is that it was the failure of Mr Skelton Cline’s consultancy to produce the full reports I requested over some months and not any substantive concerns about the benefit of the project that ultimately convinced me that I should speak to the Premier about curtailing it, …

      He further told the COI that he could not recall ever having any discussion with Skelton Cline at the time and that all his involvement was primarily through interactions with ministry officials.

  14. last chance says:

    well, I guess we all see what he and his questionable team was plotting.

    blame it on the dead guy

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  15. itstime says:

    @Anonymous, I guest that post hit you hard, you VIP lover.

  16. tola says:

    wow. Imagine that ?….throwing a dead man under the bus….

    Like 15
  17. Lord Nelson says:

    You hear l**? That is l**! L**? You hear l**? Teacher Percy say if you tell a lie you going to h**l as soon as you die.

    But the above is a lot of l**s … so where he going?

    Like 10
  18. Blame Game says:

    Fahie would blame his own mother

    Like 23
  19. Stop giving speeches. Not good. says:

    Fahie is making things bad for him. He just need to answer the question what he can answer. What he cant answer simply say he cant remember…Now he bla bla bla bla too much…He is giving his PS who is to come a big headache to explain…The Governor still to come to speak about cabinet rules and what was discussed in cabinet Which will make Fahie look like a Liar

    Like 17
  20. Blame on the dead guy... says:

    Boy, you going straight to h**l!
    Ralph, bless his soul, going to be rolling over in he grave. You have 1/4 his brains, but run yo mouth double he.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  21. Hmmm says:

    Ralph know Fahie was a cr**k that is why he was trying to keep him from being Premier, but all you still went ahead and put him there. FAHIE is a m***y l***derer and a big fat baby who don’t take blame for anything he does because he simple don’t know right from wrong.
    He is as cr**ked as they come. Hope they throw him in jail and throw away the key.
    He can try to sidestep the questions as much as he want but they are getting their answers. ID**T.

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  22. Deh Watcha says:

    “under the rug, done full up.
    So the only place is throw them in front the bus”

    Like 14
  23. LB says:

    Ayo Premier mayson Untruth Fahie.

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
  24. Bumpy says:

    Well as. Albert hit a new low. He blame R.T O’Neal for his disastrous failure. Albert you are a d…. You should be ashamed of yourself. Do you need to go to jail? Not Balsam Ghut. The UK. We don’t want you here. Take CSK with you.

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  25. Lounge says:

    Time to put a VIP lounge at balsams hut?

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  26. sooooo says:

    So then Vincent van say the same thing. His ministry but you Untruth Fahie had the final day.

  27. LOVING BVI says:

    DONT LOSE FOCUS Premier , critics will have their say but i BELIEVE in you …. lead BVI

    Dislike 14
  28. Nice says:

    Love the photo….

  29. Jawbone says:

    Please mr. Let me rest in peace. I from VG. I did not this kilpatrick man . Please, please let me rest mr. Premier.

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