NDP slammed over leadership void
Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline is criticising the National Democratic Party (NDP) for failing to identify a clear leader, warning that the party’s lack of direction could affect its ability to rally support ahead of future elections.
Speaking on his radio programme Honestly Speaking, Skelton Cline argued that the NDP’s credibility hinges on selecting a recognised figure to lead the organisation.
“The first thing you got to go do is choose a leader. That is the first thing you have to go do,” Skelton Cline stated. “There is no followership if we don’t know who the leadership is.”
The NDP, which once formed the government of the Virgin Islands, has struggled to regain its former footing since losing power in 2019. The party currently holds two seats in the House of Assembly and has yet to formally announce a new party leader following a period of internal shifts and electoral defeats.
Skelton Cline stressed that leadership remains central to public trust and effective organisation. “This is a top-down country. We follow leadership. It shouldn’t be that way. It don’t have to be that way. That’s just the way it is right now,” he explained.
The NDP has remained relatively quiet on its next steps since its last public gathering, and despite engaging in community outreach and occasional media appearances, questions about its structure and leadership have persisted.
“You can talk all you want. If we don’t know who leading, we ain’t following,” Skelton Cline asserted.
This is not the first time the NDP has faced calls for stronger leadership. Following the 2023 general elections, political observers noted the party’s limited visibility and absence from major policy debates. Despite having experienced members, including former ministers and long-serving district representatives, the party has yet to outline a comprehensive strategy to re-engage voters.
Skelton Cline’s remarks come amid a wider conversation about political accountability and direction in the Virgin Islands. His programme continues to provide a platform for civic engagement and critique, with recent episodes focusing on governance, public service delivery, and youth development.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” he said, urging political organisations to step up. “The country and the citizens are complaining. They can’t get anything done. Governments after governments. Nothing is being done. Where is the missing link?”
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For once I have to agree with COSC.
Does Claude Skeleton have shares in the media? Is his opinion the only one that matters? Every week there are other talk shows that present interesting points in the territory, yet none get the publication time this man does. Why is that?
There are other people with strong opinions in the territory, share those as well.
The dissolution of the NDP did not happen in a vacuum—it was the direct result of an inability to come together around a single leader. Everyone wanted to lead, but no one was willing to follow. And today, nearly two months later, we are witnessing a new formation that still cannot define its leadership structure.
What we are seeing is a continuation of the same internal struggles, the same personal ambitions that brought down the last effort. If they cannot resolve the most basic of issues among themselves, how can they possibly navigate the complex, demanding work of governance?