BVI News

Oops! I made a mistake supporting Skelton Cline’s contracts — Premier

Premier Wheatley

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has declared that he blundered in supporting the series of government contracts Claude Skelton Cline was gifted immediately after the Andrew Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party was elected into government back in 2019.

Premier Wheatley admitted to making this mistake on Tuesday as he tabled before the House of Assembly (HOA), the Auditor General’s December 2022 report on the examination of public contracts issued to Skelton Cline from March 2019 to September 2021. Those controversial contracts were issued via the Premier’s Office.

“These contracts for Claude Skelton Cline did come to Cabinet and I did support them. And I’m here to say to you that I believe that my support for these contracts was a mistake. And I believe that the former Premier made a mistake in engaging Claude Skelton Cline with these contracts,” Dr Wheatley told the HOA.

No value for money; he was just given a job

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 Auditor General added that the records do not show any demonstrated effort by the Skelton Cline to actually satisfy the deliverables stipulated in the contracts.

“The audit confirmation exercises performed indicate that much of the work reported or claimed by the consultant was undertaken by persons and programmes independent of the consultancy. In a number of cases, his association with the programmes was either fleeting or non-existent. The information in the consultant’s periodic reports was largely duplicated without demonstrating any advancement or effort to achieve progress. As a result, very little was gained from this arrangement and the government failed to receive value for money on these contracts,” Webster wrote in her report.

She added: “After a period of two and a half years, none of the initiatives stipulated in the three contracts have been delivered.”

What were the contracts and how much was he paid?

The extent of the three contracts are as follows:

On March 25, 2019, Skelton Cline (doing business as Grace Consulting) was engaged by the Premier’s Office as a “Strategic Advisor” via a six-month petty contract which saw the controversial consultant being paid $16,330 per month with a five per cent end-of-contract gratuity. That contract named five specific areas of focus — Climate Change and renewable energy, the ‘1,000 jobs in 1,000 days’ programme, youth empowerment, telecommunications, and Prospect Reef. According to the Auditor General, four of the five deliverables were left open with no definition of what would constitute satisfactory completion.

The second contract was signed on December 2, 2019, and provided employment from September 18, 2019 to September 17, 2020. Skelton Cline’s new assignment was to assist the government in identifying and developing a portfolio of revenue-generating initiatives. Under this contract, Skelton Cline was responsible for developing and delivering a minimum of three initiatives that would generate a minimum of five million dollars in revenue to the government. He was paid a $12,000 monthly for this gig.

The third contract awarded to Skelton Cline was on November 26, 2020, and covered the period September 18, 2020 to September 17, 2021. “This echoed the objectives of Contract 2 (to deliver three revenue initiatives generating income of $5 million per year) and the basis of the assignment and services were unchanged. The remuneration was however reduced to $9,000 per month,” the Auditor General’s report noted.

The report further noted that Skelton Cline’s second and third contracts were tender waivers approved by Cabinet. It said the narrative provided in the November 2019 Cabinet Paper did not discuss whether the deliverables had been achieved from the first contract nor did it comment on the Skelton Cline’s performance or accomplishments. Cabinet, nonetheless, recommended a second engagement even though no evidence was presented to prove that Skelton Cline possessed the relevant qualifications in finance or economics or any relevant professional background to provide comfort that there was reasonable expectation he could perform the duties for which he was tasked.

Skelton Cline was paid a combined total of a little more than $365,000 for the contracts.

Report: There are signals that gov’t knew Skelton Cline was inadequate

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45 Comments

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  1. Jokes! says:

    Looks like every member of that cabinet going to be charged with breach of trust soon. And as for CSC, boy, where he going to run to this time?

    Like 46
    Dislike 1
  2. Call a spade a spade says:

    As leaders don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right . When you lead, you are held by higher standards .
    When a leader will EXCUSE himself for speaking HONESTLY to the nation on the sole Principle he is my relative then you are afraid to call out wrong doing . We are heading into a DANGEROUS climate and that is why
    A] Crimes go unsolved (the highest leaders see it as snitching)
    B) It is my relative so I must not call him or her out for wrong
    C) That is why the COI has to bring us to this point
    D) What had happened to Principles so because we are all sinners we must not call out wrong doing
    E) God loves us but we have to stand the consequences of our actions . Where are the John the Baptist ..? In this Christian Society

    What is my poor country coming too

    Like 21
    Dislike 3
  3. BuzzBvi says:

    And you apologise now?

    Like 16
  4. Ting to talk says:

    He threw Cline under the bus but sugar coat EZ shipping . What does feeding a community has to do with WRONG Doing if you do something wrong it is wrong
    Not saying they did wrong either What a petty society ?
    I can feed and give people things so I cannot be called out for doing wrong . Well sah
    That is why a person can go to jail
    For 6 months for touching government money and the community will still vote him in as a candidate to represent us
    … Where is INTEGRITY… gone to the dogs

    Like 31
  5. Huh says:

    This man earned the Average workers year in earnings a month for a job that had no definition

    How in the world can anyone claim our government isn’t doing a bad job

    Like 46
    Dislike 1
  6. resident says:

    All of you knew at the time it was wrong, all of you should be ashamed and he should either pay the money back or be sent to prison

    Like 51
  7. Island Man says:

    Hmm, I wonder if this is why he stepped down as head Pastor.

    Like 14
  8. Respecto says:

    Alot of them is useing the church get rich what a shame

    Like 15
  9. Big says:

    If I made a mistake worth upwards of 20 Thousand Dollars I would be out of a job

    Like 19
  10. Feo Gomez says:

    This man is and has always been a CON MAN the worst type of criminal. The one that does absolutely nothing. Soulless empty vessel.

    Like 25
  11. Tooth n Claw says:

    Even if at the time these contracts were approved he did not know they were ‘dodgy’, this in itself is a problem and brings into question his ability to perform the duties of that office. That is putting it mildly, too.

    Like 17
  12. I tell lies! says:

    Thank God, the Auditor General is a LOCAL!

    Like 26
  13. Local Brother says:

    But you Natalio was the Deputy! You helped by agreeing to all those contacts. If they were a mistake, then you to are a mistake. These mistakes costs the taxpayers 2.3 million!!! These mistakes that you facilitated caused the COI. These mistakes almost cost us our country!

    These mistakes indicate that you are not fit to lead this territory! Saying sorry now that election is around the corner don’t change anything!

    Like 36
  14. McGruff says:

    You did not make a “mistake”. You are a reasonably intelligent man. You understood what was brought before you. You made a decision to support it. Therefore, you are complicit in the act of defrauding the public purse of the hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to this charlatan for no work done.

    Like 41
  15. Hustle says:

    Another BVIslander using abusing embarrassing with their ratchet low life ways, With the consent and the approval of the limited brains of our duly elected.
    BVIslanders need therapy for some insight into their behaviour as doormats.
    In the meantime,bring in the UK full time for the possibilty of some semblance of professionalism order and sensibility.

    Cline,a known documented runaway cr**k with a shady and questionable past…how why

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  16. Rubber Duck says:

    Even the none too bright slow one knew exactly what these contracts were about when he approved them. As did the rest of Fahies gang.

    It was the governments form of Partner Hand where everyone got a big payout in turn

    The difference was they didnt pay in, the taxpayer did.

    Like 18
  17. Hmmm says:

    The premier comments last night were appaling – he needs to go. No accountability

    Like 28
  18. My 2 Cents says:

    He curses Claude but sugar coats EZ Shipping??!! Must be a East man thing. Shame on you Natalio and all of the Cabinet needs to go who were there with these contracts. Period!

    Like 12
  19. It takes says:

    a big man to admit they were wrong. Or a desperate one.

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  20. Smh says:

    This premier is a two faced cl**n, all of these people need to be in jail

    Like 21
  21. GOV vacancy says:

    Premier’s Friend
    $16000 a month plus benefits
    Must be prepared to be thrown under an electric bus when needs must.

  22. Facts says:

    He was never the head pastor. Do your research before commenting crap. His uncle was head pastor who handed over the baton to his son.

    Like 2
    Dislike 3
  23. Nonsense says:

    Mitch did the correct and ethical thing by excusing himself. It is the correct procedure!

    Like 4
    Dislike 5
  24. LOL says:

    Notice how he went ez on Cludy ? Up to now ain’t denounce Head Coach! But he went een on Claude! Hypocrite!!!?

    Do not be fooled my people!

    Like 11
  25. Guest says:

    These people seem no different than before. Mistake??? It seems everything getting categorized as “mistake” when the lights are put on you roaches……

    Like 13
  26. church ting says:

    where on earth in the bible refers to senior and junior pastor, first lady, deacon-ness, man of the cloth, acting elder, Dr reverend and all this unscriptural flatery. We live in a time where mankind want to have names bigger than Jesus and his apostles. This limelight in the church need to stop or God will stop it.

    The office of a deacon is played down to the role of the water boy for the bishop or carry his briefcase. No. the only difference between a deacon and a bishop is that a bishop is given to no wine, and a deacon is given to litte wine.

    Now on the subject at hand. Because the D2 rep is a cousin, hey, you are also a so-call pastor or minister. You should be the first one to call him out. Family or not. Stand for rightousness and holiness in every corner and call wrong wrong and sin sin. Stop the blumming sugar coating. As a so-call man a God you cannot excuse yourself from any moral issue. The church should not be about family, and the government should not be about family either. The church is the bride of Christ and nobody owns no church. If it don’t belong to God, then call it something else.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  27. Sound Silly says:

    Excusing oneself is the correct procedure. Mitch did the right thing. That has nothing to do with being afraid to call out wrong doing.

    Like 2
    Dislike 5
  28. Licher and Sticher Good says:

    What this man doing as Minister of Finance?

  29. Shame!! says:

    As a leader he should have stood up and be counted by speaking the truth. He is a coward. It is only a coward that ducks out because he is afraid to talk the truth.

  30. Jack Sprat says:

    Mr Premier,I would respect you if in addition to claiming tge obvious farce as an error,it as an error,you offrrd an apology and tendered your resignation.

    Every last one of your ash, go home and the UK take the helm for the possbility of these VI to move forward.

    Like 12
  31. Move says:

    My error. I meant thumbs up.

  32. Move says:

    @hmm.I meant thumbs up. My error.

  33. Dis Appointed says:

    Showande,you have digraced your family’s name and their legacy.
    I never thought you were too sw**t but gave you credit for common sense and good values.
    Kindly resign your position as Premier of these VI.

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
  34. Always Knew says:

    All that glitters is not gold. Wolf in ..iest’s clothing.

  35. ??? says:

    So were the contracts hush money on the government’s dime?

  36. move says:

    @Huh. I meant thumbs UP.

  37. Wtf says:

    Lock those mother f**kers up. Bam

  38. I imagine... says:

    I imagine every month s**wday agree to signing off on them payments to CSC was another month he DID NOT fight for the money to be used instead to fix the dilapidated schools so children can be safe, he did not fight to pay the teachers their increase instead, to fix the roads instead, to help the youth instead. NO. But he was surely out there as the photogenic minister smiling up and down the place taking pictures. I remember it like yesterday. So you mean all that was going on and he had No sorry and no remorse? You think I could be out there smiling knowing about what going on behind the scenes? You think I would ever agree to that money for Skelton-Cline when everything in my million n one ministries falling apart? S**wday, i do not know how he could sleep at night. something wrong mehson.

  39. LB says:

    Once issa mistake. Ok we forgive you. But what happened the 2nd time? What happened the 3rd contract? What happened to the No bid millions to Chalwell dem and EZ shipping? Hiking up unqualified Board members stipends by 600%!!!! All of that was a mistake? You incoherent appearance at the COI? That was a mistake?

    Well how many mistakes you had buddy? Up to now you haven’tapologized for any. But you want we to give you another chance to make more mistakes?

  40. Rapper says:

    Why is this man and whoever signed off on his contracts not indicted or imprisoned?
    Highway robbery with eyes wide open.

    So what do we do next since the other criminal is in US custody.

  41. Maverick 2 says:

    A waste and disgrace, I rallied behind you, but this Clyne and EZ Shipping mess is ABOMJNABLE, please vacate office and save the territory, everybody laughing at us.

  42. Norris Turnbull says:

    This is abuse of process and theft. All involved need locking to h**l up.

  43. GTFOH says:

    The one thing that made me really question Fahie is when he gave this man another contract after all the scrutiny and backlash he got after their first project many years ago.

  44. Truth says:

    And still givernment workers cant get a raise and to be able to rexieve their well owne increments cant get paid. Now i see where all the civil servants mo ey were goi g. CANT PAY CIVIL SERVANT AND CANT PAY POLICE WHI LEAVE THEIR FAMILY HOME EVERY DAY TI RISK THEIR LIVES FOR U. HOW UnGREATFUL CAN U BE. Im tired of this corruption.

  45. WEW says:

    That’s ok Sl**ande. I’m sure we can make room at Balsam for you

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