Outspoken social commentator and man of the cloth, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline in reacting to the $426M Budget estimates presented by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew. A. Fahie (R1) says that Budget 2019 under the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) offers greater prosperity as was campaigned upon by the VIP pre-elections 2019. Photo: Facebook

“As he [Hon Fahie] stated clearly, it is transitional, they are only five weeks in, and certainly our public officers have taken up the mantle rightfully so that a budget has begun, commenced by the previous administration,” Skelton-Cline told GIS. Photo: Facebook

The ZBVI 780 AM ‘Honesty Speaking’ radio host in an interview with the Government Department of Information and Public Relations (GIS) today, April 2, 2019, at the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA) further said that the budget will ensure a wide area of capital investments, which means a better overall future for the Territory.

Transitional Budget

“As he [Hon Fahie] stated clearly, it is transitional, they are only five weeks in, and certainly our public officers have taken up the mantle rightfully so that a budget has begun, commenced by the previous administration,” he told the GIS.

According to Mr Skelton-Cline, the VIP Government had ‘massaged that budget’ to ensure a broader spectrum for some capital improvements in terms of infrastructure and the various industries of the Territory such as tourism and agriculture.

Further, Mr Skelton-Cline in expressing satisfaction that issues such as outstanding public servant increments were tackled, says he is looking forward to seeing, “that public officers in particular are rewarded for their hard work they have placed, particularly with the increments.”

Confident– Skelton-Cline

In early 2019, NDP Chairman Mr Myron V. Walwyn had promised to pay increments once elected, however, that did not materialise leading many to wonder if the Hon Fahie led administration would make-good on the contraversal promise from the fallen National Democratic Party (NDP) regime.

Mr Skelton-Cline implored, “So I feel good, confident and hopeful about what the future holds… so we looking forward to that what would be a greater push towards prosperity that was campaigned on,” he said.