Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Hon Vanterpool defends Skelton-Cline's consultancy contract

Fourth District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA), Hon Mark H. Vanterpool, in responding to the question on the contract extension of Government consultant, Claude O. Skelton-Cline, said Government has the right to issue consultancies to push forward their agenda.

Hon Vanterpool was at the time speaking at the monthly Opposition press conference, on December 16, 2019, in the boardroom of the Office of the Virgin Islands House of Assembly in Road Town, Tortola, where he posited that a government, once it gets in office, will do what it seems fit to push forward its agenda.


Gov't has right - Hon Vanterpool

According to the Cabinet statement of November 22, 2019, Cabinet, "Decided on a new contract between Grace Consulting and the Government of the Virgin Islands for twelve (12) months with effect from 18th September 2019 to 17th August 2020 and approved."

Skelton-Cline, a strong supporter of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government, through his consultancy firm, Grace Consultants, have been given the contract through the waiver of the tender process which, according to Cabinet, was done given his past successful performance under his previous 6-months contract.

"Obviously time will tell on these matters, but I always say in terms of fairness, and in terms of our government's promises that a government, once they get to office, has the right and the discretion as they use it," he told the media in relation to a question on whether there was evidence that Skelton-Cline through Grace Consultants was deserving of a contract extension.

Hon Vanterpool continued, "I may not agree with it, or whoever, but they have the right and the discretion... to help them move forward their agenda... I am not going to make it an issue."


Perform or be fired - Premeir Fahie

Following the contract extension, there was some amount of backlash over the issuance of the contract with Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) stating publicly that Mr Skelton-Cline would be fired if he doesn't deliver.

Hon Vanterpool posited, "The issue of accountability, in the long run, is what is going to be important but if the government makes a decision in their discretion to have a consultant to advise them I have no objections."

He said under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government they too made decisions to hire consultants, hence, it would be unfair for him to have objections to the practice, rather, the focus should remain on the aspect of accountability.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
×