Penn can’t lead the people, Skelton Cline warns
Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline has questioned the leadership ability of Eighth District Representative, Marlon Penn, saying he is not able to carry the weight of leading the people of the Virgin Islands.
Speaking on his weekly radio programme, Honestly Speaking, Skelton Cline argued that the recent vote of no confidence in the House of Assembly had exposed weaknesses in the opposition’s ability to organise and provide direction.
He warned that the same pattern could repeat itself at the next general election in 2027.
Turning directly to Penn’s role, Skelton Cline said the Eighth District Representative had not shown he could provide the leadership needed.
“I think Marlon Penn is a good fellow, but he has shown that he is not able to carry the weight and lead the people,” he insisted. Skelton Cline urged the opposition to rally behind a stronger figure.
He suggested that his uncle, Ronnie Skelton, the former Finance Minister, would be a more suitable leader.
“If I was over there and the two options was between Honourable Penn and Honourable Skelton, I would choose Honourable Skelton. You need somebody with weight, with gravitas, somebody who’s going to get some things done, somebody who other people are going to follow for real,” he explained.
Penn, who has led the National Democratic Party (NDP) since 2019 following the NDP’s election loss, has faced pressure to unify the party and broaden its appeal. The NDP recently announced it would reunite with the Skelton-led Progressive Virgin Islands Movement, signalling a bid to strengthen the opposition ahead of the next election.
However, the opposition remains fractured, with a clear split between Alliance members Myron Walwyn, Stacy Mather and Melvin Turnbull on one side, and Ronnie Skelton and Marlon Penn on the other.
But Skelton Cline argued that political manoeuvring would not be enough to convince the electorate. He said that the territory’s challenges required leadership with substance and vision.
“You need somebody with weight,” he repeated, stressing that voters would not rally behind a leader they could not clearly identify.
He warned that if opposition members failed to act decisively, the outcome of the next election would mirror the vote of no confidence.
“Anytime you have a situation where a one-on-one is not the scenario, you have just advantaged even a weak incumbent,” he said.
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BVI politics is an interesting thing. It is riddled with self interest. When you see people taking certain positions analyze it before you join in especially when the people are as self-serving as CSC and some of his associates and family.
CSC wants his uncle Ronnie to be Premier so he is trying his best to eliminate all the competitors. First Myron by claiming though he is capable he does not have ancestral ties even though he is born here.
Now Marlon on his inability to lead. I do not see Marlon having the ability to lead but it is still a strategy being used by the CSC.
CSC does the bidding of his two uncles. This suit Marlon good. He refused to work with Myron out of fear of Myron regaining the leadership. Now he has to give the leadership to Ronnie. I have my popcorn ready to watch the movie play out.
Six months have passed, and yet the reunited NDP cannot manage the most basic responsibility of governance — the choosing of a leader. If you cannot decide who should lead you, how can you hope to lead a people? What we see is not sacrifice for the greater good, but ego on parade. And let us be clear — if selfishness and greed dominate them now , that trait will not disappear when they get in government. In fact the power and money will only magnify it . So I say to the people — beware.
You are absolutely right but let us be fair! It has also been 6 months since the ‘Alliance’ and up to now we don’t know if it’s a party, if the candidates resigned from their respective parties, PVIM and NDP, who are their candidates? What are their plans? Both of them are making the VIP look like the viable option right now as sad as that may seem. If we are going to pretend to be fair, please at least try. The very same things you are saying about the NDP can be said about the Alliance. The fact remains that Myron and Mitch saw how the 3rd party nonsense ruined any chances of beating the VIP and doubled down on it. Who in their right minds are going to follow Myron and Mitch with a brand new party, no candidates, no history, nothing? Do you guys think Mather will sit down there with them and spoil his good name? When we are talking let us tell the whole story not half.
How quickly we forget! When the NDP first came on the scene, weren’t they a brand new party? And what was the result of the election that year? And how many parties were running at that time? UNITED PARTY, VIRGIN ISLANDS PARTY, and NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY. IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW!!!!!
The Alliance has a LEADER. That is clear and unequivocal. So they have a foundation on which to build so its actually not the same …To be fair
Rally behind his uncle Ronnie who does nothing so he could get his gravy again. ENTITLEMENT!
It could be his brother, Ronnie is not going to do nonsense.
So let’s look at this:
CSC uncle Ronnie broke up the NDP because he lost the party elections in 2019. He went to form PVIM.
He ran twice for Premier under PVIM and was not successful. The after 2019 elections he said he wasn’t running again. He left Mitch Turnbull to do all the work and then came back in 2023 and took away the leadership of PVIM from him because he changed his mind to run again.
In 2023 he was opposition leader. The whole country know that he was doing a poor job. He was replaced because of that poor performance.
He dissolved PVIM without telling the members. They heard about it on the radio. He went back to NDP in 2 days after losing leader of the opposition. Something that he didn’t do in over 6 years.
He does no work. He refused to debate the vote of no confidence and abstained from voting because he was in his feelings about being replaced as opposition leader by someone he considers to be an outsider.
And now everyone must line up behind this person as leader? How? This ENTTILEMENT is laughable.
Please stop with the one-sided stories. The representative of the 2nd District and his brother were the ones that started the destruction of the NDP with their attack on Dr. Smith and Mr. Potter. When the elections were over in 2018 their disdain for Walwyn caused them to join with Ronnie and form PVIM. So which is it, Ronnie less and can’t move stuff or he can? Please stick to one story as on one hand you are saying he formed PVIM in 2019 and now you are saying he can’t move anything? It’s clear that in 2019 the people that were the engine behind PVIM were the brothers and their cohorts because they could not stand the thought of serving under Walwyn. These are not secrets because those boys told anyone with ears who could hear about how destructive Walwyn was. Now 6 years later they are telling you that Ronnie is bad and Walwyn is good. How is that possible?
Clarence Thomas say “watch the game”. Send the nephew CSC to eliminate all the competitors so uncle could get what he wants. People are not blind.
While it’s clear and true Marlon is no leader—based in part on WallWin’s own comments during his staged, softball interview on Guavaberry—turning to Ronnie Skelton is not the solution.
As a member of the Constitutional Review Commission, Ronnie supported expanding belongership in ways that dilute the very rights of Virgin Islanders. That alone should disqualify him.
And it is not just him. It seems like persons tied to the National Democratic Party are laser-focused on the erasure of Virgin Islanders, driven by a hurt they still harbor. We see it with the member from the Sixth and the at-large member who once claimed to be in our corner. In fact, the Sixth District member was her hand-picked successor.
Put aside Ronnie’s lack of vision, low energy, or silence on issues. The real problem is his constitutional record. When Virgin Islanders needed protection, he chose erosion.
Leadership cannot be built on weakening the very foundation of our sovereignty.
might lead the dope runners out east yea
What amazes me is that Claude knows who can and cannot lead, but everyone knows that he will never ever leads…
CSC Penn is one man that you won’t be able to hoodwink. CSC a self serving selfish man. No contracts for you under Penn. Stop the propaganda CSC. You care not about the BVI but ONLY about CSC
Claude Skelton is an opportunist
He jumping in PVIM meeting
He jumping out n NDP
He is a sell
Out
He is a sleaze ball
PeNn , IS SAYING )> AH SEE YOU THROWING LOW BLOWS ON ME , YO BETTER WATCH WAH YO SAYING BOUT ME
judge Claudie , and he flexing off his vocal talents which wishing best tool and he sure is hollering out for mr AlOOf (AKA) – uncle skelie / and just like the other wannabe judge WIGGIE he also he thinks that he got the most BRAINS in the BVI – so he done plan how he will reap All the benifits , and will be singing the song ” AIN’T NO STOPPING US NOW ” if his uncle WINZ ( but we know that’s a PIPE DREAM ) and like his buddy judge WIGGIE , his overgrown EGO won’t allow him to admit or accept defeat so they will try everything under the sun to fight it down • BUT THATS HOW HYPOCRITES OPERATES OR THINK .
I wouldn’t be so dismissive of Penn though. [A four-term legislator, brief stints as Cabinet Minister, a stint as Leader of the Opposition] He has a foundation upon which to build, and he is young in age. With the right focus and necessary adjustments, he could be one to keep on eye on.
Our boy Ronnie must be up for retirement soon otherwise how he get time to spend all dem millions the gov paying him
$36,000 a month for how many years now? :-0
People have short memories
https://bvinews.com/govt-extends-rental-contract-with-skelton/
https://www.bvibeacon.com/hoa-okays-skelton-contract-worth-36k-monthly/