Skelton Cline blasts gov’t over “shiggity” West End seawall project
Commentator Claude Skelton Cline has criticised the design of the new Cox Heath sea defence wall, arguing that the project obstructs scenic views and alters the character of one of Tortola’s coastal roadways.
The wall is part of the government’s wider road improvement works between West End and Road Town. The Ministry of Communications and Works has said the project is intended to strengthen coastal protection along a section of roadway that has been vulnerable to storm surge, erosion and deteriorating sea defences. Officials have also said the existing wall had collapsed in several areas and required rebuilding.
Speaking on his Honestly Speaking programme, Skelton Cline questioned the scale of the structure now under construction. He said the wall appeared much higher than the previous structure and was affecting motorists’ views while travelling through the area.
“These people have now built what looks like a five-foot deep [structure that] comes up five feet with a seawall that is now blocking the line of sight in part of the road drive to and from West End. This is some shiggity,” he said.
According to Skelton Cline, the project is changing a feature that has long contributed to the island’s appeal.
“You are messing up the character and the contours of what makes the Virgin Islands and Tortola in particular special and unique,” he stated.
He said drivers had traditionally enjoyed views of the sea along that stretch of roadway and questioned the need for the design being used.
“You drive across that little piece, losing line of sight of the ocean, of St John except to look at the mountains. Why are you all doing that?” Skelton Cline asked.
The commentator also argued that the older stone wall should have been restored rather than replaced.
“You would think that in the preservation and protection while you can still secure the seawall, protect from any surges, you would think that we would restore what has been lasting for the last 50 years,” he said.
Calling for a rethink of the project, Skelton Cline added: “Go break down that wall for God’s sake… Run that around. Don’t mess up the character and the contours of the Virgin Islands where you’re messing around down there.”
Copyright 2026 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
It also appears not to have any drainage holes. Where is the rain falling on the road going to go?
UM this is not a retaining wall. The water will be channels in the fill that will be along the wall. Almost like a french drain
From the picture it does look really ugly honestly
I live in Sopers Hole, West End, this commentator is correct, the wall detracts from the beautiful view, devalues the tourism product, my first thought while driving to town, was the government was turning Tortola into a prison fortress like Alcatraz. Shame on the overseers of this project and shame on the construction manager.
Skelton-Cline talks too much and usually we should not even listen/bother to all the stupidness he talks but here he has a point, this sea defense wall does spoils the nice view we used to have!
This is 100 percent. Al’s one of the ke desig features our ancestors used was stones so that the sea defense walls were seamlessly a part of the environment and landscape. for our generation. More mone than good sense.
I agree with you, Skelton Cline, on a lot of things, but this one, I am not so sure. We continue to spend millions on maintaining the roads and then ground sea comes in, it runs right up onto the road and brings rocks with it and destroys the roads. Those walls are a sea defence tool. I am sure that they are going to lift the road a little, but it is a good idea to keep the debris especially during ground sea and storms off the road to safeguard it for a little longer. If lifted a little, we can still enjoy the scenery, so a win-win all around. Smooth roads for longer than six months and a beautiful scenic view as you traverse the area.
I totally agree that concrete wall has detracted from the beauty of the BVI. Someone in Government need to do some homework as this concrete wall is totally unnecessary.
You can break the energy of waves by creating two or three lines of rocks in the water parallel to the shoreline to break the wave action before it gets to shore. I learnt this in Physics class at about age 12!
Rocks are a much better more aesthetic sea defence.
But you all missing the point. It is to help the sea from at least bringing debris onto the roads.
It’s simply no vision and poor design. That road has been there over seventy years.
You clearly dont drive that road enough. That road has been damaged by the sea and passing hurricanes on numerous occasions. A by pass road was even made at one point because the road was basically washed away. We complain way too much. We rather a view and rebuilding that road over and over and over costing the country millions. Then we going say they aint doing nothing bout it.
Yal will make a fuss about the most superficial ISH!
are the answer. Drive the road!! The only place where it is damaged and the wall compromised is where there are insufficient rocks and boulders to break up the wave action.
@Quietly watching we don’t get no ground sea on the South.
That is one serious ditch, I fear any car that falls into that
The whole island is views from end to end up and down, yal serious fr?
So you mr Cline prefer the debris getting washed up from the sea onto the road or the wall !!!!! Make it Make sense