Premier mocks Turnbull over recusal from Skelton Cline debate
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has condemned Labour Minister Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull over his recusal from a recent debate in the House of Assembly (HOA), threatening to play a tape which would highlight Turnbull’s inconsistency.
Turnbull recused himself from the debate while pointing out that he was the immediate first cousin of Claude Skelton Cline who lays at the centre of a series of controversial contracts with the then-Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government.
Premier Wheatley’s comments came after Turnbull flagged what was described as a contrast in Dr Wheatley’s criticism of two recent audit reports done by the Auditor General’s Office.
Those reports were the Claude Skelton Cline contracts with the VIP government between 2019-2021 and the contracts for static marine platforms between the VIP government and EZ Shipping.
Auditor General, Sonia Webster, concluded in her report that Skelton Cline’s three contracts, which had a combined cost that was more than $365,000, offered no real value to the then-government and merely served as an employment mechanism for the former government consultant.
Among other things, Premier Wheatley claimed that, with the coalition Government of National Unity (GNU) now coming to an end, its members’ interests are suddenly diverging.
Dr Wheatley argued that Turnbull’s insistence on recusing himself from the debate did not come from the Labour Minister’s close relationship with Skelton Cline, but rather, he contended that the recusal was because of instructions Turnbull allegedly received from Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) Chairman, Ronnie Skelton to ‘not say a word’.
Turnbull later asked that the Premier present evidence of the allegation and said he has been speaking in the HOA on principle.
But Premier Wheatley said during a previous HOA sitting, Turnbull had given Skelton Cline ‘a real tongue lashing’ adding that Turnbull might have even been a little more harsh at that time, than the Premier had been in his recent criticism of Skelton Cline.
“So what is really the difference between then and now, when my good friend, the Honourable Minister, decided to recuse himself from the debate? Has he just discovered that this is his cousin? Did he do a DNA test and some knowledge came to his attention? Premier Wheatley asked.
He continued: “Wasn’t he cousins with the same cousin back when he gave him a tongue lashing? Yes, he was. And don’t force me to play the tape because the tape is right there. We are on YouTube. So don’t force me to play the tape.”
Dr Wheatley then made reference to Turnbull’s previous comments where he declined to yield to former Premier Andrew Fahie as he was making a debate contribution in the HOA in July, 2021.
“Should I say Madam Speaker, that I will not yield? Should I say that? I will not yield? I refuse to yield. Should I? Are we gonna go through this today?”
House Speaker Corine George-Massicote then recessed the HOA before reminding lawmakers of the rules on appropriate behaviour in parliament.
Premier Wheatley’s comments came after Turnbull flagged what was described as a contrast in Dr Wheatley’s criticism of two recent audit reports done by the Auditor General’s Office.
Those reports were the Claude Skelton Cline contracts with the VIP government between 2019-2021 and the contracts for static marine platforms between the VIP government and EZ Shipping.
Auditor General, Sonia Webster, concluded in her report that Skelton Cline’s three contracts, which had a combined cost that was more than $365,000, offered no real value to the then-government and merely served as an employment mechanism for the former government consultant.
Unity Government at an end
Among other things, Premier Wheatley claimed that, with the coalition Government of National Unity (GNU) now coming to an end, its members’ interests are suddenly diverging.
Dr Wheatley argued that Turnbull’s insistence on recusing himself from the debate did not come from the Labour Minister’s close relationship with Skelton Cline, but rather, he contended that the recusal was because of instructions Turnbull allegedly received from Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) Chairman, Ronnie Skelton to ‘not say a word’.
Turnbull later asked that the Premier present evidence of the allegation and said he has been speaking in the HOA on principle.
But Premier Wheatley said during a previous HOA sitting, Turnbull had given Skelton Cline ‘a real tongue lashing’ adding that Turnbull might have even been a little more harsh at that time, than the Premier had been in his recent criticism of Skelton Cline.
“So what is really the difference between then and now, when my good friend, the Honourable Minister, decided to recuse himself from the debate? Has he just discovered that this is his cousin? Did he do a DNA test and some knowledge came to his attention? Premier Wheatley asked.
He continued: “Wasn’t he cousins with the same cousin back when he gave him a tongue lashing? Yes, he was. And don’t force me to play the tape because the tape is right there. We are on YouTube. So don’t force me to play the tape.”
Dr Wheatley then made reference to Turnbull’s previous comments where he declined to yield to former Premier Andrew Fahie as he was making a debate contribution in the HOA in July, 2021.
“Should I say Madam Speaker, that I will not yield? Should I say that? I will not yield? I refuse to yield. Should I? Are we gonna go through this today?”
House Speaker Corine George-Massicote then recessed the HOA before reminding lawmakers of the rules on appropriate behaviour in parliament.
