Make Ronnie Finance Minister, Skelton Cline urges
Talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has, once again, urged Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley to consider appointing Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton as Finance Minister within the Virgin Islands Party-led government.
Skelton Cline made the plea on his Honestly Speaking radio show yesterday, arguing that appointing Skelton, who previously held the Finance portfolio under the National Democratic Party (NDP) administration, would be a bold step in enhancing governance and national development.
Ronnie Skelton, who currently leads the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), is regarded as an experienced statesman with extensive knowledge of financial governance. However, it remains unclear whether he would accept such an offer if approached.
Skelton Cline reasoned that the Opposition Leader, who is also his uncle, possesses the expertise needed to optimise government spending and implement effective financial strategies.
“If I were the Premier, I would invite the Leader of the Opposition to join the government as Minister of Finance,” Skelton Cline said. He suggested this could help expedite spending of the $100 million loan recently made available for development projects.
Overly bureaucratic
He argued that the current mechanisms for spending these funds were overly bureaucratic and hindered progress.
Skelton Cline acknowledged that his recommendation might be contentious, but he urged the government to prioritise effective governance over political rivalry.
“We need someone, Premier, who is behind you and who has a history of knowing how to move the ball down the field,” he contended. “These are the kinds of hard decisions that have to be made. These are the elephants that are in the room… this is not the only way, but… I think it’s the most credible way to unify this country.”
Dreams of a national unity government
The talk show host noted that having a national unity government could help bridge the political divide and bring greater efficiency to governance. He proposed that a current minister could step aside temporarily to make room for Skelton in the Cabinet. “Premier, take my stupid advice,” he urged.
Skelton Cline also addressed potential criticisms of his proposal. “Some of you are not going to like it because you’re going to say, ‘If you put them over there, now it’s going to be hard to beat them.’ I’m not interested in you beating the government,” he said. “Right now, I am interested in this country working for the good of all of us,” he said.
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The same Ronnie that all of you where complaining about he was finance minister. No money was circulating in the country. He behaved like a corporate executive and not like a representative. You all were the very same ones telling Dr. Smith not to put him back as finance minister after the NDP loss the election. Now all of a sudden make him finance minister. The politicians right to treat ayo so because ayo memory short and does act like ayo eat stupid bush.
Hon Skelton is overated as finance Minister. His view on tourist and investors is myopic essentially they have it so tax then to death or for investors that they should make no profit because they are not from here.
Make Skelton finance minister and my government contracts would be sure and you sowandie cemented in power for a lifetime, trouble on the horizon now that walwyn has been found without blemish, as a matter a fact that wall he got many hands to assiduously built to stop crack cocaine from.brrn sold on high school compound to the youths is what created a bad narrative about him created by fahie v.i.p because there friends dope pushers cash flow was cut off, Myron will be strong to take over now so reduce the opposition numbers now, Fraser might switch.
Yes! Give my uncle the finances so I could get sort out! Claude, have you ever considered moving to Mars or Pluto? If not, I seriously think that you should.
Why is what a talk show host say news? Please go do some real reporting.
This dude will say or do just about anything to get back on the government nipples…shameful
The only politician really financially qualified to head finance is Hon Lorna Smith. Be prepared for the Grey list or even Black list coming down the line.
Really?
With what qualifications?
Ever ran a business or involved in one?
A lightening rod with no results
Why don’t you look up her certifications and her career on behalf of the BVI government to date. The last thing you want is a business person to be a regulator.
This man don’t have a case to answer regarding his grift & graft on those dubious contracts? What’s up with that?
So he smuggle all our money out through the airport? Is that the clever plan and the reason he does not want to be controlled by security checks at the airport?
Myron Walwyn for Premier, Lorna Smith Deputy and Ronnie Finance. The territory will move forward. Right now its stuck in mud.
That Hon.Smith has come this far to settle for deputy???get real
I believe some ayo smoking something. What far has Lorna come? Yes she was a permanent secretary but she has less than one year experience as a minister who got fired after betraying her own party who gave her a chance and next to zero experience as a legislator. People had to beg other people to vote for Lorna. And it rather worse now since she betrayed the same people who people had to beg to vote for her. Please get off the crack pipe. Lorna is dead meat next election.
Same Myron caused Ronnie to leave the NDP and formed his own party.
Can we get a minister of finance who has studied finance and has had success with finance.
Unlike the current cl**n.
Make Skelton Finance Minister – said by Skelton
No Thank you!
SKELIE , IS SAYING )> THIS IDIOT DOES REALLY KILL ME DEAD , I DON’T KNOW HOW HE COME A SKELTON IN THE FIRST PLACE , BUT NOW YHAT ME BUDDY TRUNP IS BACK IN CONTROL , WE HOPE HE COMES GOR THIS JOKER WHO IS WANTED IN DETROIT FOR HUSTLING AND RUN BACK HOME , AND IS NOW USING THE BIBLE AS A FRONT TO OUTSMART INNOCENT PEOPLE
MR ALOOF IS SAYING )> THIS JOKER DOES REALLY FREAK ME OUT , MR TRUMP , CAN YOU PLEASE DO US A FAVOUR , PLEASE COME AND RELIEVE US OF THIS HUSTLER
This man on whatever side he feel he can make an eat on. Dude had his own section in the COI. Just an opportunist masquerading as a patriot. If he say go left we need to go right.