Talk show host and former government consultant Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline, rather than defending criticisms surrounding his consultancy contracts awarded under the past Andrew A. Fahie administration, has called on God to deal with those who conspired against him in the House of Assembly (HoA).
During Tuesday’s the Third Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly on February 21, 2023, Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and other members debated an Auditor General's Report on the examination of public contracts issued to Mr Skelton-Cline, to which the premier has called the issuance of the contracts a mistake by the then government.
“I am here to say to you, Madam Speaker, 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,” the premier said.
My Skelton-Cline said while he did not watch the debates nor does he follow the local news, he was told about what happened in the House regarding the debates on the report.
“I did not and will not listen to the House of Assembly and what
transpired… but Jehovah was listening,” he said on a Wednesday, February
22, 2023, special edition of his Honestly Speaking talk show on ZBVI
780 AM.
Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley
(R7) and other members debated an Auditor General's Report on the
examination of public contracts issued to Mr Skelton-Cline, to which the
premier has called the issuance of the contracts a mistake by the then
government.
AG report damning
The Report from the Auditor General has since concluded that in three consultancy contracts given to Skelton-Cline with an income of roughly $16,000 per month, he was paid exorbitantly and that his contribution to the success of the initiatives surrounding the contracts was marginal at best.
This has led to widespread criticisms from Members of the House of Assembly, with an overarching theme that Mr Skelton-Cline was awarded a high-paying consultancy to do little on the basis that he was a political crony.
Skelton-Cline, using his platform, said rather than defending himself, he will represent God, who will be his defense and will deal with those in the House who conspired against him and said "all manner of things" about his contracts.
“I do not even know why they took so much time on me, I did not know that I was as influential as I am... I did not know that I was vested so much power,” he added.
The man of the cloth then went on to preach on the difficulties of 'loving thy enemies' and doing good to those who hate and curse you.