Commentator on Belonger fee hike: Pay and be quiet!
Local clergyman and talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has defended the recent increase in fees for obtaining Belonger status in the Virgin Islands, stating that the $2,500 charge is reasonable and long overdue.
Skelton Cline argued that the fees had not been adjusted in more than two decades and should not be the subject of public outrage.
“These fees have been the same for at least two decades,” he stated. “It’s been a couple decades in most instances where these fees have not been touched, for so many of them, and that’s a fault of ours administratively.”
He said residents who qualify for Belonger status should not complain about paying the updated amount, noting that the privileges attached to the status far outweigh the cost.
“You are going to be free from the control of labour, immigration. You have a right to purchase land, get trade licences. You’re becoming a belonger of a country. You cannot be complaining about $2,500,” he insisted.
Skelton Cline dismissed suggestions that the increase was designed to deter applicants.
“Don’t tell me you can’t afford it, because if you can’t afford it, then what are you talking about belonging?” he asked. He added that people seeking to make the Virgin Islands their home should be willing to “just go pay the fee and be quiet,” stressing that “$2,500 is nothing to pay for belongership as a fee in this country.”
The broadcaster also urged government officials not to be swayed by criticism and to stand by their decision.
“Government, this whole notion that you are going to review fees—for God in heaven’s sake, go sit down, make some other decisions materially about things that need to happen in this country. Stop monkeying around with this kind of stuff and don’t let folks throw you off your game,” he said.
The Department of Immigration announced revised fees in September, with the cost of Belonger certificates increasing from $500 to $2,500 for adults. According to officials, the changes were part of a broader review of outdated government fees across departments.
The move has drawn mixed reactions from residents, with some calling for the government to reconsider the increase. However, Skelton Cline argued that those opposed to the hike were focusing on the wrong issue.
“You want to belong and don’t want to love the place. You want to belong and don’t want to pay a simple fee,” he said.
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So says Ronnie Skelton and Bishop John Cline’s nephew. The Bishop finds fault in everything and everybody but has never once called out his nephew for the deplorable and inhumane things he say. Both uncles support what their nephew is saying.
The fees have to cover the new HOA salaries!
$2500 is nothing for someone like you, who has had several government contracts and not delivered anything in return.
Amen!!
Yeah. Heard it on the radio. Old not news.
Just like how you want them to pay it the. You pay back the government for the money you take without performing your duties. What ever happened to that case against him?
That man just doesn’t like expats. He is selfish and only cares about himself. With his record of draining government coffers and not delivering, he should find a corner and hide himself – shameless.
Imagine a family of 4 having to come up with these fees – we are talking about $10 000 if the children are above a certain age. Not many persons can afford that especially if they are minimum wage earners.
Where is his wife from again?!!!!
HIS HOLINESS , IS SAYING)> WE ARE ENTITLED AND SINCE YOU ARE IN OUR COUNTRY WE CAN FO OR SAY WHATEVER WE WANT , SO JUST PSY & BE QUIET [ UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO INTRODUCE YA’AL ” ISLAND PEOPLE ” TO MY – ” LILL FREN ” , MAH FAITHFUL 357 MAGNUM •
Send this clown back to Detroit where he belongs.
The one who needs to be quiet is CSC. We’ve heard more than enough from him.
Do people still support his pizza business?
I will go hungry rather than buy food from this demon, hiding in a clergy’s cloak. Why did he have to come back here.
Leave the fees as they are (revise what?). The old fees, and even some services and documents that were being given away, now carrying a fee, was needed long ago. If someone wish to have the status (privilege, not a right), should pay the fee….after all, its a one-time cost, and the benefits associated with this status, far outweigh the cost, so take it or leave it…
Mr. Premier, i implore you not to touch those fees.
Anybody from the expat community that supports this man’s business need to stop. Leave his dry pizza stay there. Let his family members buy them. Do not give him your hard earned money because that strengthens him to further spew his nasty xenophobic rhetoric and plain out hatred for people from the other Caribbean islands. Anyone who sits down to listen to this man preach the word of God cannot be interested in really going to heaven.
From the “church man” – Belonging is only for the wealthy. I’m not sure Jesus would have approved of his message.
This is one of the few times that I agree with him. In fact it should be higher.
Adopted citizen, Visa or Green card holder, mess up in the USA and see if you dn’t son realize that citizenshiip a privilege not a right. Pay fôr it ur leave it and leave.
$2500 is a small price to pay for full rights/citizenship in a country and open access to the UK. Pay up or shut up.
I am in full agreement with you. The premier better not touch those fees!
Does those same fees goes to the locals who born their children in the states, second, third generation who coming home and applying for belonger rights also? 2550 +250 = 2800. Wow. Just know your very own will feel it too when they love having their children in the states.
For right now BVI is the place to be plenty of jobs and US currency.Belongers fee:$2500 worth it.
This is more reason for me to stop supporting his food business…..
How about all non-indigenous boycott that stupid pizza place. Why should I take my hard earned dollars to support you Mr. Detroit?
Let us pay close attention to the political party he’s connected to.
His two uncles are with the NDP. Where else do you expect him to be connected? He said Myron cannot lead because his parents are not from here. He said Marlon doesn’t have the ability to lead. What he is doing is disqualifying the competition to promote his uncle Ronnie. His uncle John made sure that he because the President of the NDP. You think he will push Marlon over his best friend Ronnie. There you have it! They believe their brains big.
Its not much if governments have been paying you hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for doing nothing.
I like Claude.
ÞHE BOI FRON HAE AND FULLY ENTITLED SO HE’S JUST EXERCISING HIS XENOPHOBIA THAT HE AND HIS SO CALL HOLY MEMBERS THAT GOES TO CHURCH AND DISCUSS THEIR EVILNESS THAT THEY ALL HAVE DEEP WITHIN , SO HE IS THE MOUTHPIECE THATS CHOOSEN TO HOLLER FOR THEM , AT LEAST HE’S DPEAKING HONESTLY ABOUT WHATS INSIDE HIM , SO WHY ARE WE SUPPRISED , AIN’T HE ALONE THAT FORM OF XENOPHOBIA IS EXPRESSED IN MANY FORMS CLANDESTINELY / JUST LIKE HOW MASTER WEATIE ( AKA ) ” MOSES ” RAISED THEIR SALARIES EASILY AND PASSED IT UNDER OUR NOSES LIKE A PIECE OF CAKE / AND ITS
BUSINESS AS USUAL •
Minimum wage
$1290 after SS ad NHI is $163.
You have $1127 left.
Rent $1000+ a month.
Electricity over 100$ a month.
Water bill $60-80$+ a month.
Internet bill $100+ a month.
Groceries almost 500+ to do a good shopping as a parent.
Cooking & vehicle gas, also school bus fee for children, self care. $500-700$ a month on a low rate.
Imagine the minimum wage is $1290.
NHI and social security is $163,after payment. You would have $1127 left.
Rent $1000+ in a month.
Electricity over 100$+ a month.
Water bill over $60+ a month.
Internet over 100$ a month.
Cooking & vehicle Gas, paying bus fees for children and your self care. That should be over $1000 a month in a low rate. That would an estimate of $2260 per month, in total we earned is estimated to be $13,524. The estimated spending cost is $ 27,120$. This is modern slavery that takes place in the BVI lately no one has never done this calculation to see what cost all this crime in the BVI. So, what we earned is less than what spend.
This man!!!!!
Should be in jail. He is a scammer. Pay the government back all that money you collected and delivered nothing in return.
The fees has to be comparable with the minimum wages and the price of living
Minimum wages at $ 15.90’per hour can be budgeted to pay that fees
What does not loving or loving the country has to do with an unreasonable hike.
The people in the upper echelons of the society do not want more belongers here . They would do inhumane and despicable acts to justify keeping anyone out.
They are afraid the belongers will grow in wealth . That is the fear .
To go from $500 to $2500 is totally ridiculous. Absolutely no compassion on our especially Caribbean brothers and sisters. In addition, this sends are clear message.
Christians are supposed to show empathy (putting themselves in others shoes).
Them fees too much
For those expats working in the fishbay area and otherwise, please save your money by not supporting any of this man’s buisness.The xenophobic spewing by him defies his pretence as a man of the cloth and a Rotarian.
HUH Claude is a Rotarian? Get the hell out of here! No way. What garbage is this? Stop calling Rotary good good name I all you mouth. That man has no good in his heart. Rotary is not for him. He is not for people. He is only for self-serving Claude. If it’s true he needs to be reported to rotary worldwide
how press still only got this guy for commentary- he drenched in america’s worst mayoral administration- kwame detroit mob mayorship. this boy was one of the snakes, slithered back bvi where they said “perfect, let’s try some of that” . . .
usa let his crooked ways come into they gov, here he talk this junk?
Wouldn’t expect this “fine upstanding piece of…” to say anything else
He’s reaching into his jacket for his 9mm.
K no se te ocurra buscar voto k ningún emigrante votará por ti abusador