BVI needs a Czar of Efficiency, like Trump

Talk show host and commentator Claude Skelton Cline has called for establishing a “Czar of Efficiency” to streamline government operations in the Virgin Islands.

Speaking on his programme Honestly Speaking, Skelton Cline said this efficiency-focused position would operate outside of traditional government structures, allowing for swifter implementation of critical reforms.

“We need a czar, an empowered czar of efficiency. That’s what we need. Cut out all of this bureaucratic stuff and streamline all of this,” he stated during the broadcast.

Skelton Cline likened the role to initiatives seen internationally, including the appointment of Elon Musk by US President-Elect Donald Trump in a similar capacity in the United States.

He highlighted widespread inefficiencies in both public and private sectors and criticised the slow pace at which projects and services are executed. He pointed to issues such as inadequate road repairs and public dissatisfaction with government services as evidence of the need for systemic change.

“Things move way too slow—it’s more than a snail’s pace—in every sector,” he remarked, adding that the inefficiencies extend beyond government and include private sector operations.

Move public servants to the private sector

The commentator also took aim at the Virgin Islands’ overstaffed public sector, describing it as a significant obstacle to progress. He acknowledged the political sensitivity surrounding the topic but stressed the importance of addressing these structural challenges.

“The government is overstaffed,” he said. “I’m not in favour of you losing your job, but I am in favour of transforming that job into something else where you are still gainfully employed, where you can support and feed your family as you ought to, but in the private sector.”

The commentator argued that the government is afraid to make these changes for fear of losing critical votes.

“One of the things that the UK has been telling the governments for the last 20 years is that the public service is too big — downsize, streamline,” Skelton Cline said. “But the politicians can’t tell you that because they’re afraid of you, and what are they afraid of? They’re afraid that you’re going to vote [against] them next time.”

He argued that the government would ultimately be forced to make changes and would be unable to control the process once it happened.

Skelton Cline suggested that better communication between government officials and the public could mitigate some of these challenges. He proposed regular updates to improve transparency and manage public expectations.

“Leadership is about managing people’s expectations. If people know what to expect and their role in the process, they handle it a little better,” he explained.