Skelton Cline: NDP chairman is intellectually lazy!
Talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has blasted newly elected National Democratic Party (NDP) chairman Marlon Penn after Penn appeared to mock his Honestly Speaking programme recently.
Appearing on the Talking Points radio show last Monday, Penn was asked whether claims were true that the NDP was moving away from some of its older members in favour of younger leadership — a claim put forward by Skelton Cline in recent weeks.
In response, Penn laughed and asked: “I want to know where you got that from — Honestly Speaking or Dishonestly Speaking?” He then rejected the claims and insisted veteran party figures remained involved in the organisation.
The remark quickly drew a fiery response from Skelton Cline on his own radio programme, where he accused Penn of using valuable airtime to engage in political attacks instead of presenting solutions for the territory.
“I understand the newly elected NDP chairman, he’s sitting up on another radio programme and all he can do is make mention of this programme in a disparaging way,” Skelton Cline said.
He added: “That’s the extent of their leadership. You mean to tell me that persons can be so intellectually lazy? Before they expand and take the time and the opportunities in these programmes to articulate a vision for this country. No, we don’t do that. We spend time disparaging each other,” he said.
Feeling the pinch
He said many families were “feeling the pinch” at gas stations and supermarkets and desperately need a vision for progress from those seeking leadership. Skelton Cline also widened his criticism beyond the NDP, saying too many political groups and emerging factions were focused on political point-scoring instead of policy development.
“We have all these factions emerging. This group coming, that group coming,” he said. “I call upon the chairman of all of these parties, those of you who are here and those of you who are emerging, spend your energy and your effort planning, strategising, thinking, being thoughtful.”
He further urged politicians to avoid creating a more toxic political climate through personal attacks.
“You and I have to learn how to speak on issues, subjects, policies, without personalising things and breaching your personal relationships,” Skelton Cline stated. “We may agree on some things, but we can’t become so disagreeable personally that we spew hatred into an already toxic atmosphere.”
In the meantime, Skelton Cline said Penn’s time would be better spent focusing on getting Mark Vanterpool back into the NDP’s ranks. Vanterpool’s position in the party has come under question in the aftermath of the NDP internal election, where he lost the chairmanship race.
“And since the chairman of the NDP doesn’t look like he knows what he needs to do or say, if I were you, I would go get the Hon Mark Vanterpool. That’s what I would do, and he’s a value and asset to you, and he’s one of us. He’s a Virgin Islander,” Skelton Cline added.
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He is also not premier material
Had CSC not focused all his energy on ensuring that Hon.Walwyn did not get the position ,perhaps UNC Skellie would have done better in the voting and even secured a top spot. That is what this is all about Hon.Skelton performed poorly and he is upset. He traded in schadenfreude and now karma has come knocking. And since UNC is not in this ,it will be a plausible excuse for going against the NDP. But this anti- NDP stance will have dual purpose because he will also leverage it to gain benefits from the VIP. And once the VIP secures another win CSC is back in favor.You can call CSC many thing but not strategic is not one of them.
100% true. CSC will now work with VIP to defeat the NDP .Since his Uncle lost he has no motive to help the NDP and it will be much more pofitable to align with the power structure already . CSC know how to navigate the system to his benefit.
All 13 must …get back in
VIP all the way there little mistakes can’t compare to the big mistakes that NDP has done 7 millones flew away, 10 million complex insurance money disappear , Eastend /long look sewage money spent on cruise pier all of this under a NDP government. VIP have there flaws but this government has done way more than what NDP ever did
Uncle Skellie did not campaign to the delegates like the other candidates did. UNC called Bo one like the others did to sure up their votes. BVI people like the candidates to reach out, to call, to talk to you on phone or in person. Skellie did none of the above
Well a Lil confession is good for our souls • and his exelency claudia is flexing off in retaliation for ” marl-on” disrespecting his ” pop-U-law ” tark show , calling it (dishonestly speaking ) which he took personally as very disrespectful , so it’s gonna be * war * , this is where we will get some of the real truth of whats really gine on behind the scenes- of those hidden secrets that has been swept under the rugs for years upon years, and the white colonists slave masters , won’t be the scapegoat in this showdown between these indigenous BVISLANDERS ( SO BRO’S LETS GET IT ON / (NO GUNS ) , JUST “SHEET AH LIKZ ” BVI STYLE
I agree with CSC. Marlon is intellectually and physically lazy. He likes position and accolades but does no work at all. The NDP is going no where with him as leader.
Marlon all kinda lazy. He look lazy. He walk lazy. One look at east end you know the representative lazy. Claude ain’t lying this time LOL
Awwwwww, you two children get your feelings hurt? It would seem like you guys have somewhat fragile egos?
The NDP has become very delusional. They see what is before them yet they continue to walk right into it. The public has no confidence in the leadership abilities of Marlon. They just do not. Yet the NDP continues to push him on the people because as I heard he never left NDP. This why they are delusional. The NDP was going no where and will not go no where under this arrangement. Maybe after the 2027 elections when the NDP gets another sheet of blows they will finally wake up and smell the coffee. Until then a handful of them who love Marlon because he is an easy walk over can continue to sleep until the big green VIP machine cranks up.
This is the best chance for a new force in Virgin Islands Politics. We cannot do any worse with these two opportunist parties. A set of politicians with their snouts in the trough. Only Ronnie doesn’t need the loot. Let’s not blow it and get a new team of strong people in.
Claude now squealing like a pig. That suits him fine. When people say that they are fed up of the clines and their family it is for the reason. Claude did everything to thrash Myron and disqualify him from leadership of the party because he was the only credible threat to his uncle Ronnie winning. After Myron said he was running for deputy leader you heard nothing bad about Myron from Claude because he thought uncle Ronnie was in the clear. Now Marlon beat uncle Ronnie who came dead last. I would have e preferred to get beaten by Myron any day than to have a living dead like Marlon beat me. So in the end Ronnie got it worse than before.
You are an opportunist seeking revenge for Uncle zRonnir
A man want to be Premier but have a ** as his campaign manager. Another Fahie fiasco could be in the making
You cannot put a snake to lead god people. There will only be destruction and burials. Lazy yes on alll level yes, l*e yes, untrustworthy yes, n**ty minded yes, w**ked yes, s**dy yes, everything yes. Premier material no. That’s like giving a mentally unstable drugs to do worst. Yellow woulda make a better premier than Marlon. Rest in peace e yellow
Pardna is less for true! I shudder to think what if Smurf has the reigns around here controlling things. He just exudes diminished energy and seems like he can only regurgitate the obvious.
Smurf does not have any charisma and is vanilla to the point he’s considered bland. Not leadership material and it will show in the upcoming months during the political season.
Being almost the last man standing in the 2019 elections does not qualify someone for leadership. Marlon has no leadership abilities at all. He has an overinflated view of himself that nobody shares. Another disastrous election for the NDP again. They lost in 2019 because Ronnie and Mitch formed their own party because they lost at NDP convention. They lost in 2023 because everybody was afraid to tell Marlon he cannot lead. They will lose in 2027 for ejecting as leader who they know cannot lead and will not get the support of the wider public. NDP is sabotaging its own self.
So Called Child of God, If you can’t say anything Good, Then Say Nothing at All. One Man Will Bring Destruction on This Whole Territory…Father Forgive Him For He Knows Not What He is Saying.
This one time Claude knows what he is saying. Marlon is a lazy and does nothing. Just ask his close friends. They will tell you.