BVI News

Vanterpool not getting paid, benefits as member-elect | Penn refutes CSC’s claims

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn

The Opposition Leader Marlon Penn is refuting claims made by government consultant Claude Skelton Cline that member-elect of the Fourth District Mark Vanterpool is still receiving a salary and other privileges as an elected representative even though he has not been sworn into office.

Skelton Cline made those assertions on national radio last Tuesday, May 28. Premier and Minister of Finance Andrew Fahie — who was with Skelton Cline during the broadcast — did not deny or label the claim as false.

But, while answering questions from members of the media a week later, Opposition Leader Penn did.

Penn said: “That is an inaccurate statement. As far as my discussions with him (Vanterpool) thus far, he has not been paid, he doesn’t have access to do the things that he needs to do for the people of his constituency.”

The Opposition Leader added that residents of the Fourth District are suffering as a result of the ongoing issue surrounding the swearing in of Vanterpool.

“There are elderly persons who he’s helped over decades who need that support, who live and look forward to that support and now not getting that support,” Penn said.

Penn was speaking outside Government House moments after accompanying a committee of aggrieved residents who submitted a 1,000-signature petition to Governor Augustus Jaspert.

The petition was in relation to having Vanterpool sworn into office.

What Skelton Cline actually said

Meanwhile, Skelton Cline’s specific assertion was that Vanterpool was receiving all his benefits as a member-elect except those that apply inside the House of Assembly.

“What I want the people of the Fourth District to know is that the Honourable Mark Vanterpool is a man whose salary has not stopped. He continues to be paid as an elected official,” Skelton Cline stated.

The government consultant had further said: “He (Vanterpool) is working and can work on behalf of the constituency of the Fourth District. He can interface with all of the Ministers of Government and champion the cause of the constituency of the Fourth District. He can speak and hold meetings. The only thing that he can’t do at the moment is participate in the proceedings of the House of Assembly, in terms of asking questions or voting or speaking on the order business.”

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36 Comments

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  1. vip heckler says:

    One thing we know for sure is that un-elected skelton cline is being paid

    Like 59
    Dislike 3
  2. You should Know says:

    As a person on national radio, you need to research what you are going to say before you say it. I still cant understand why they permit you to be on the radio. You were a part to the pier park situation. You should not have anything to say as it pertains to Government until your stuff is cleared up.

    Like 52
    Dislike 5
  3. Is he doing any work? says:

    I didn’t see him at the debates on Immigration regularisation and reform. Was he there? Even if he can’t sit with the Opposition in the House…was he sitting in the public gallery when the House of Assembly meets? Is he showing any interest in working for the people other than being treated important?

    Like 21
    Dislike 31
    • Tallgirl says:

      I don’t understand what you want. You side with the Speaker in not swearing in Hon. Vanterpool yet you expect the same Hon. Vanterpool to be working on behalf of the people. Either you want him gone or you swear him in, can’t be both ways.

      Like 13
      Dislike 5
  4. Quiet Warrior says:

    Either D-4-elect former MCW Mark Vanterpool is being paid or not is an easily verifiable fact so why is there two differing statements? Hon Malone and government consultant cannot both be stating fact; is someone misrepresenting the facts?

    Why people keep saying that D-4 has no representation? Are the 4 At Large members (Carvin, Neville, Sherie, Shereen) not also representatives of D-4 residents? Yes. Further, in this unusual situation, the Premier as the national leader of government business should also ensure that D-4 residents needs are not being neglected. Are the elderly residents that Mark has been supporting a function of who the representative is? Should their needs be under the purview of the Ministry of Health and Social Services? Political patronage, government dependency…….etc is too common place in the VI. The truly needy should be helped but the system is too often abused. Needs should be means tested.

    Like 27
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    • Yo says:

      A$$ we have no representation!

      Like 1
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      • QW says:

        @Yo, did you vote for At Large candidates and if no, why not? Are not Hon C. Malone, Smith, Dr Castro and Flax reps of D-4? Are they not representatives of the whole territory? At Large reps should be Area reps( territory should be partitioned into into areas, perhaps 4 areas) but leave that for another day.

  5. L says:

    The Opposition Leader seems not to have fully understood what Mr. Skelton said.

    Like 11
    Dislike 26
    • Yes We Did says:

      He understood him quite clearly and the excerpt is quoted above as to what Skelton-Cline said. I understood just as the LOO because I was listening to his show last Tuesday. Were you listening? Skelton-Cline needs to shut his a** if he does not have the facts. You cant fool all of us, all the time. We are paying keen attention.

      Like 19
      Dislike 4
    • Yo says:

      L, you are an A$$, if you cant understand a simple lie from tbe preacher boy!

  6. What says:

    are witnessing the corrupting forces of money, greed and political power being played out like an opera scene right here at home.

    Unbelievable! Didn’t expect such so soon in our political development.

    The beast has finally raised its evil, ugly no good for humanity’s head.

    May God bless these Virgin Islands and its people.

    Like 15
  7. Town says:

    Skelton the winner he F up the port money and find he way back in GOV boi oh boi only in the BVI..

    Like 31
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  8. OH says:

    The fact the Premier sat there and didn’t say otherwise is telling. Mind… better remember today for me tomorrow for you!

    Like 21
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    • @OH says:

      Should the Premier be repeating himself all the time? The Premier made a public statement on this already. It’s the Speaker’s House…he can’t tell the Speaker what to do. When Ingrid was giving the then Opposition a hard time in the House anybody was asking Dr Smith to say something…look please…y’all need to understand the UK parliamentary process.

      Like 6
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  9. wow says:

    Greed! Power!For All of these factors and more the indeginuous BVIslanders would soon turn on one another. That is how the majority of these men operate. It is only a matter of time

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  10. hmm says:

    so he used to take the 4th district money and help who he want. hmm

    Like 16
    Dislike 11
  11. Blah says:

    I hope he isn’t being paid to cut our losses since he did not earn his paycheck over the years.
    The Accurate list of things not done well or at all while Mark was being paid well as a government minister.
    No or poor water delivery, constant power failures, terrible internet, terrible roads that were paved and patched repeatedly in a never ending cycle of insanity, constant sewage flow in the heart of town, Pier Park millions overspent, co conspirator in the BVI Airways disaster.

    Like 21
    Dislike 8
    • Oh, well says:

      Consequences of our unwise actions have the capacity to haunt us all our lives. And a mature Action Man at that, to have followed his heart and made such an unwise decision?
      Oh, well.

      Like 10
      Dislike 5
  12. ?? says:

    Why did Mark resign in the first place? The people elected him and not even a good week passed and he was on FB video telling the whole world that he was resigning and getting out of politics. Let us not forget where this all started.

    Like 12
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  13. Confused says:

    Is CSC a government’s spokesperson or is he a consultant? Consultants should be speaking to their client, not the public. And government consultants should not be allowed to discuss government business with public as he /she more than likely would be privy to sensitive / strictly confidential information as part of his/ her job. In any regard We want to hear from our ELECTED representatives not salaried consultants.

    Like 11
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  14. Chosen says:

    The oppressors shall eat their own flesh and drink their own blood

  15. Sir says:

    This VIP government is the worst saying they putting God first when in fact God is under they feet…tgey need to stop using God in everything …its not God its the own dirty minds….they all fake Andrew and his cronies…they bring so.much unhappiness to the… BVI the so called speaker is not fear …God need to remove all of them ..its just embarassment after embarrassment since they got in there…

    Like 11
    Dislike 3
  16. After says:

    This VIP government is the worst saying they putting God first when in fact God is under they feet…tgey need to stop using God in everything …its not God its the own dirty minds….they all fake Andrew and his cronies…they bring so.much unhappiness to the… BVI the so called speaker is not fear …God need to remove all of them ..its just embarassment after embarrassment since they got in there…

    Like 3
    Dislike 4
  17. Eagle eye says:

    Well 60 days is now Passed and district 4 don’t have a representative so let’s see what the governor will do now.

  18. Lineman says:

    This would be the worst 4 years in our HoA not even 6 months and look at what’s happening and the premier has nothing to say,the next protest will be to the speaker of the house remove. Remember we the voters don’t forget, I want to know what Neville,sheep Smith is doing? since the election I yet to hear this man.. I think voting VIP was a great mistake that we are now paying the price for… yes talk about the 7.2M the NDP gave away but I bet in VIP 4 years they will give away more than that I will wait for the bloggers to come back crying soon…

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  19. Hmm says:

    Ask the treasury Marlon not Mark you all taking us for fools.

  20. Immediately says:

    If the Speaker loses his appeal he needs to resign immediately!

  21. Food for thought Mr Premier says:

    I will say this …
    This is a tactical attack on acquiring the fourth district for vip as I see it… now we know… we attract more bees or flies with honey
    Does trying to obtain a seat in the fourth district mean this much to you guys… it is coming at a heavy cost… my perspective is that you are turning off possible vip supporters with is issue are you willing to risk a seat in the fourth for future elections

    This bitterness is infectious and it just might backfire on vipb
    “BEE” VERY CAREFUL!!!!!

  22. Gas says:

    Marlon Penn HUSH!! Respect Those In Higher Authority Than You. The Bible Says So. I’m A Bvislander And I Watched You Cry Like A Child In Chuch Begging For Prayer Before Election. WHO Prayed For You Mr.Penn???? THE EXPATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You Need JESUS And Ask For Forgiveness

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