Why would an SQL string work in Query analyzer but not if it is created and executed in Visual Basic code?

Why would an SQL string work in Query analyzer but not if it is created and executed in Visual Basic code?

The below string is created from VB code and executed in VB:
      ssql = "IF NOT EXISTS" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "(SELECT c.*" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "FROM syscolumns c" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "JOIN sysobjects o ON c.id = o.id" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "WHERE o.name = '" & RTrim(roTable.TableName) & "'" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "AND c.name = '" & RTrim(roTable.Field) & "')" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "BEGIN" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "-- Field does not exist" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "ALTER TABLE [dbo].[" & RTrim(roTable.TableName) & "] ADD [" & RTrim(roTable.Field) & "] " & RTrim(roTable.FieldType) & " NULL" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "Print 'Created'" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "IF  EXISTS" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "(SELECT c.*" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "FROM syscolumns c" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "JOIN sysobjects o ON c.id = o.id" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "WHERE o.name = '" & RTrim(roTable.TableName) & "'" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "AND c.name = '" & RTrim(roTable.Field) & "')" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "BEGIN" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "UPDATE [dbo].[" & RTrim(roTable.TableName) & "] SET [" & RTrim(roTable.Field) & "] = " & RTrim(roTable.FieldValue) & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "Print 'Update'" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "End" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "End" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "Else" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "BEGIN" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "-- Field does exist" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "Print 'Field Exists'" & vbCrLf
      ssql = ssql & "End" & vbCrLf
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The Above looks like:
IF NOT EXISTS
(SELECT c.*
FROM syscolumns c
JOIN sysobjects o ON c.id = o.id
WHERE o.name = 'RackInfo'
AND c.name = 'SealTite')
BEGIN
-- Field does not exist
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[RackInfo] ADD [SealTite] bit NULL
Print 'Created'
IF  EXISTS
(SELECT c.*
FROM syscolumns c
JOIN sysobjects o ON c.id = o.id
WHERE o.name = 'RackInfo'
AND c.name = 'SealTite')
BEGIN
UPDATE [dbo].[RackInfo] SET [SealTite] = 0
Print 'Update'
End
End
Else
BEGIN
-- Field does exist
Print 'Field Exists'
End

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If executed from vb (ADO I get the following Error:
 "EXCEPTION: clsDataHandler, GetRecordSet  - Err = Invalid column name 'SealTite'."
If I execute the same string In Query Analyzer It works?

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Another strange behavior is if I execute the same string in vb but preform it on a different table it works?

Any help is greatly appreciated