Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

Tender Process Waived!  Skelton-Cline Gets $144K Contract Extension

Tender Process Waived! Skelton-Cline Gets $144K Contract Extension

Pastor Claude Skelton-Cline will continue to render his services to the new Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government after his company received a one-year contract extension in the amount of $144,000.
Cabinet at its meeting on November 22, decided on a new contract between Grace Consulting and the Government of the Virgin Islands for 12 months with effect from September 18, 2019 to August 17, 2020.

Cabinet also approved the request for waiver of the tender process in favour of Grace Consulting, that is deemed to be a suitable company having successfully executed deliverables in a just concluded contract and provided evidence of the same; and

Cabinet also approved payment at the rate of $12,000 per month in accordance with the draft contract, and to be payable periodically upon presentation of invoices, and accompanied with status reports of the deliverables under the consultancy.

Shortly after the VIP-administration came to power following the February, 2019 elections, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie found himself fending off questions about hiring Skelton-Cline, a former National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate.

At the time Skelton-Cline's company was provided wit a $98,000, six-month consultancy contract. Skelton-Cline is a former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA). In his defense, Hon. Fahie publicly stated that if Skelton-Cline fails to deliver, he will be fired.

Initially, Skelton-Cline was hired to chair the Cruise Tourism Committee, leading negotiations for new cruise line berthing agreements, leading negotiations and facilitating a seaplane tour excursion initiative, and overseeing a number of other government programmes and strategies.

When the contract was announced, many persons responded negatively, as they saw it as Skelton-Cline’s reward for his lead role in the Virgin Islands Party’s 2019 election campaign, while others pointed to his history with another significantly large contract that he was granted by Hon. Fahie in the past while serving as the Minister of Education.

Back in 2008, Skelton-Cline was the coordinator of the controversial ‘Virgin Islands Neighbourhood Partnership Project’, through an affiliate company, ‘Claude Ottley Consulting Ltd’.

Information is that over $570,000 was paid to Skelton-Cline’s company, while questions were raised in relation to how much of the stipulated works under the contract were actually
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×