Public left out of HOA’s independence push
Claude Skelton Cline
Talk show host and clergyman Claude Skelton Cline said the public has been excluded from key discussions on self-determination and independence, arguing that constitutional matters remain behind closed doors despite their national importance.
He said Virgin Islanders have not been given updates on the government’s recent move to form a constitutional negotiating team or on the House of Assembly committee debates about constitutional review.
“We have not yet heard the results of what has come out of the House of Assembly committee matters debates on constitutional review,” he stated.
Skelton Cline said the public should be fully informed about topics that determine the territory’s political future.
“All of these matters that are held in committee need to be in the public space,” he argued. “We will wait to hear from the government of the day what were the results of their committee meetings, who the team will be.”
Alignment is key
He warned that the Virgin Islands should not enter talks with the UK unless its leaders are aligned on key issues.
“There can be no room, there can be no space, no place given where there is any division on any issue,” he stated. “Anything short of that, people of these Virgin Islands, we must say with one voice, you ought not go.”
The talk show host’s comments follow increasing public debate about the territory’s constitutional status. There have been mounting calls for clearer public engagement on self-determination, especially after the UK concluded its latest round of constitutional negotiations with other Overseas Territories. Skelton Cline said unity remains essential if the Virgin Islands is to manage any future change in its relationship with the UK.
He also linked the issue to a wider need for political courage and public participation. “We must continue to fight and to champion and to lay the groundwork for a forward motion, a self-determining and ultimate independent path for these Virgin Islands,” he stated.
He said the territory’s push for greater autonomy must involve the public directly. “Marshall, mobilise in education, in re-education, the masses of our people. Let them become full [participants] in charting that new future,” he stated.
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This Cat is all over the place. His opinions change daily as to what benefits him most!
Amen allauia
This man is so two faceted.
When Myron was out there saying this a long time you were the sameone busy saying he is not from here. Now you are complaining about the same thing that your Premier (who is a Puerto Rican) is doing. I guess maybe you wanted something from Natalio and he didn’t give you so you are speaking out. We know your motto is CSC first!
This man got to be crazy. When Myron was sounding the alarm on this you started up saying that he shouldn’t go to the UK with the team because they were not united. Now you finally wake up you are now saying the exact thing that Myron was saying all along. You be people are stark crazy! People like you don’t operate on principles. In fact you have none.
When Myron was saying it you accused him of not being supportive and that he should not go on the constitutional negotiating team but now you saying the same thing out yuh crooked mouth. I can’t stand people like you.
Everywhere there is tribal war. Everywhere there is civil war. Nation fight against nation. Kingdom fight against kingdom. There are rumors of wars and famine and pestilence all over the world.
For centuries man have been fighting for land and dirt and territory; why wage war, wage peace. The earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth. Man (male and female) was made from dust. Man (male and female) returns to dust.
The people and voters of the Territory are mere talkers and do nothing but vote for their perks and envelopes.
They normalize not holding elected officials accountable, and have failed to remind them that they are civil servants wqorking for the citizens.
They normalize not making them accountable to the. citizens for their absurd salary increases.
And, the normalize the continued suffering of the least vulnerable, the. retirees and pensioners, the shut in and sick that they may be made rich by the country’s purse.
They normailze rthe worst of the human mind in their elected officials.
You nailed it truer words were never spoken. It is the failure of recognizing this fact that is causing all the hell that exists on the planet today. Thank you and keep on speaking truth to power.
Isn’t this the same thing Honourable Walwyn was saying in the HOA all this time? And the same man who is talking here now was on his talk show, shutting down the same thing Walwyn was advocating. Oh, I forgot the issue is not with the message but the messenger. I got it now! But the election polls will talk loud and clear
Radio back on at the newsroom??? But the dial is broken. Always stuck on this lame duck channel. Turn it off or tune into ZBVI for advice on how to analyze your stool if you want insights on C.O.S-C.
May have touched this hustler’s soul / or he speaking with ” FORKED TONGUE”