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Claude O. Skelton-Cline wins Round 1; Lawsuit against NDP continues!
Further, we were first to report that Mr Skelton-Cline turned to the courts to seek redress by first seeking a Judicial Review (JR), which meant a court would have to decide if there were grounds to pursue a lawsuit against Government for their decision not to renew his contract.
First round win for Claude O. Skelton-Cline
It was yesterday September 27, 2016 after some seven months that High Court Judge Vicki Ann Ellis sided with Mr Skelton-Cline, giving him permission to proceed with suing the National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration over the process used to not renew his contract.
With Information obtained from sources within the Judicial System and others in the NDP Administration close to the case, Justice Ellis ruled in Chambers, away from the media and public, that the Government was guilty of unfair procedure and that the Cabinet decision was Ultra Vires to Mr Skelton-Cline.
She also ruled that Mr Skelton-Cline had legitimate expectations that his contract would be renewed, and there was a breach of natural justice against him.
Justice Ellis also blasted the Government for their unreasonableness, irrationality and procedural impropriety over the Cabinet Decision not to renew Mr Skelton-Clines’ contract with the BVIPA.
Mr Skelton-Cline is being represented by the law firm Hunte & Co, and the government by the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers.
NDP infighting; Millions in overrun!
Skelton-Cline ran with the NDP in the 2011 General Elections in the Second District and lost to former legislator J. Alvin Christopher (R2).
He presided with Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) over the controversial Tortola Pier Project which the people were told would cost about $50 Million but today has reached close to $90 Million, a $40Million over-run.
Mr Skelton-Cline told reporters at an April 2016 press conference that he was only disclosing nine percent of information on the project and all the allegations surrounding same.
John S. Duncan caught lying!
It was on April 12, 2016 that local reporter Zan Lewis of ZBVI 780 AM Radio Station had an interview with Governor John S. Duncan OBE hours before Mr Skelton-Cline held a live press conference.
Governor Duncan took to the airwaves to tell the public in speaking about the former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority that the National Democratic Party’s Cabinet had “taken a decision not to renew the contract of Mr Skelton-Cline.”
On April 18, 2016 our newsroom published an accurate article after we taped the interview from ZBVI where the Governor was making those statements.
In a dishonest way Mr Duncan, when asked by a BVI Beacon Reporter Mr Kenneth E. Silva in a May 19, 2016 interview (page 14) to explain the status of Skelton-Cline’s contract, claimed that Virgin Islands News Online’s (VINO) report of what he said were “inaccurate misquotes.”
In fact, Mr Duncan told the Beacon Reporter, “I think that even though you’re a newsman, you shouldn’t believe everything you read in the papers. What I said to your colleague was the limit to what I’m prepared to say on that matter: That is, the Cabinet considered carefully the recommendation of the board on the renewal of the contract of Mr Skelton-Cline, and took a decision on it. That’s it: The rest is pure conjecture and misquoting. I’d like you to note that. I’ve seen the reports in [VINO], and they are inaccurate misquotes,” the Governor concluded.
Meanwhile, Mr Silva confirmed to VINO that his question to the Governor was specific to the contract renewal issue involving Mr Skelton-Cline.
‘Liar Liar pants on fire’ John Duncan
Our newsroom went back to the tape of the interview by Zan Lewis with Mr Duncan, and found both to be an accurate reflection of what Governor Duncan said and what we reported.
Therefore, it is fair to conclude that Governor John S. Duncan OBE told the public a lie about being misquoted by VINO, which further erodes his own integrity, as a United Kingdom senior civil servant in the Foreign Service.
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