Time to set a date for independence
Talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has suggested that the Virgin Islands should set a definitive date to declare independence from the United Kingdom.
Reacting to a recently published UK report that labels the territory’s law enforcement agencies as corrupt, Skelton Cline said the British government has shown blatant disregard for the legacy and hard work of the BVI’s foreparents.
He accused the UK of continuing to impose its authority over the territory and urged all sectors of society to begin “the process of decoupling from the United Kingdom.”
“In this next constitutional review, one of the things that needs to be part of the discussion is the matter of us moving on a timeline towards independence. The lawyers and the people who know about this can help us to determine a date in time,” Skelton Cline proposed. He added that the proposed date for independence should be put to voters in a referendum during the 2027 general election.
“As a people, we need to come to the consciousness and understand that we will continue to fight this fight in every generation because we aren’t the final arbiters of our fate. The only way to end this fight with the UK is to educate the public in a lead-up to a referendum on the matter of independence to be on the ballot in the next general election,” he said passionately.
Skelton Cline also argued that the territory should not wait to feel “ready” for independence, asserting that perfect conditions will never exist.
“There will never be a time when we are ready. Everything will never be in place,” he said.
Discussions around independence and increased self-determination have gained renewed attention in recent weeks, as many in the territory push back against claims made in the new UK report. However, some residents maintain that remaining under UK oversight may offer more stability for the BVI.
In the meantime, Skelton Cline also called for unity among the territory’s leadership and institutions. He proposed that all 13 elected leaders, along with the public, media houses, and other key entities, sign a joint correspondence expressing collective disagreement with the UK report’s assertions.
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Arrogant idiots. What about asking the peoplenof VI what they want.
Not everyone wants the world of corruption you so crave.
Here he goes again.is this man dreaming?why is he so obsessed with independence?do we wanna go through economic stress like other countries around the world?
This man is a charlatan and a fool. Stop giving him a forum to expose bad and selfinterested ideas.
Contrary to what CSC believes, the UK is very keen for the BVI to become independent – even more so under a Labour Government (that is paying Mauritius billions of dollars to take on the Chagos Islands) – and has no desire whatsoever to ‘take over’ the BVI.
The recent pressure to give more powers to the Governor is intended to produce exactly the kind of pro-independence rhetoric that CSC is now venting. It is much better for the UK to have the BVI demand independence than to force a split (and then for the UK to have to pay like in the case of the Chagos Islands).
The BVI has no strategic reasons to retain the BVI, and would much prefer to let us become independant.
Open your eyes and see what is happening.
nice thinking you never know could be true.. reverse psychology..
No way until it is approved by all of us.
To become part of the UK and start building back this country which was lost to the corruption of politicians & criminals!
UK has no beef with BVI’s forefathers. UK had no generally no major concerns until the 21st century, 30 years past H Lavitty Stout. The problem is and has been the obvious and blatant chronic cronyism and corruption that has wasted millions of the public purse to the benefit of the few as described in the CoI report that all and sundry seem to deny because it highlights a less than desirable governance instead of seeing it as guidelines of how to run things better, a concept that appears anathema in these islands. Few are the nations whose leadership has been tried and found guilty and imprisoned for criminal activities.
That said, if the voters of the BVI are fine with “decoupling”, go ahead. If history is prologue, it’s not likely to work out well except for a few tribal leaders and their sycophants.
While I do not subscribe to the rhetoric of the CSC, I find your concluding remarks to be emblematic of a lingering colonial mindset. The implication that only the UK possesses the requisite intelligence and integrity to guide us is both condescending and historically incongruent.If a nation can be so readily misled into the quagmire of Brexit, it’s audacious for it to presume it holds the wisdom to advise others on governance. The irony is palpable.
Haha haha haha
If y’all really go independent with these crooks then we deserve everything that happens to us after
#grants
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Mr Cline was super quiet when the UK was investigating him now after some time passed he always go something to say and now that this bill is trying to be passed he making the most noise!
When there’s smoke… There’s fire
when the vote goes the other way , will you leave and go back to the USA and be arrested for all the money you robbed from your church parisioners?
Just looking to get nearest to the swill bucket.
Time to set a date to send you back to Detroit! I say the date should be immediately!
He is correct the bvi needs it’s freedom fast or else we dead in the water with the racist Whitman
“The watchdog
He is correct the bvi needs it’s freedom fast or else we dead in the water with the racist Whitman>”
He is correct, but that realistic and truthful thinking will never be allowed as long as the former enslaver now colonial master is controling the power strings.
The local mind is still soaking in post emancipation chains and mental bondage/slavery.
Those hopes are still a long day away.Yes, our freedm is on the horizon being held by a people that do not and had never liked us our have our best interest in mind.
something is fundamentality wrong with this guy.Given the recent Coi finding and a whole host of other issue amd sure 90 percent of population wont agree with you.
i would vote no, the u.k is the only thing stopping our crooked politicians from fully robbing us blind
Clauda if you want independence set a date for your depature and leave we not going to stop you. Right now is the smartess con man in the BVI.
While I will agree that Independence will one day be on the VI Agenda or should be considered, I don’t think the time is immediate. Why? Firstly, The VI Must rid themselves of a VIP Government. Since 2019, the VI has plunged into a chaotic Political Mess that seems to have infested the Territory to its Core. Today, the VI People have found themselves in a Quan drum sinking lower and lower to the Bottom.
While I disagree that during the next Election a referendum choice should be one of the spaces on the ballot, the real focus of the next Election should be removing the present Government and Voting for a group of Individuals who are capable and highly qualified to Educate and Lead its people into the process of Independence after which a Referendum will follow. The thought and Process for the VI is a MUST for the future of the VI and the time is now to begin BUT NOT with a VIP Government in place. The Citizens of this Territory must Self Educate themselves and talk with people from other Independant Countries and Must not depend on our current Elected officials to tell us what to do.We must not allow this Government to tell us what to do or when to move. They are not credible. Remember, They are the reason why we find ourselves where we are in the first place. If they were indeed genuinely for the people as they claim to be, this Territory would have been in a better place. People , stay awoke and don’t be easily fooled. Do your own Research..
How about y’all test the waters…
Do a online survey and seehl how many people want it
Maybe after you see the numbers against it y’all will shut up about it
A referandum will do to things:
1. Illustrate the horrific degree to which mental slavery, the lack of self knowledge, the fear of forward thinking, stepping and doing anfor self politically and nationally.
2. The moral and human coviction that only we have been leading and caring and building ourselves, and only us will continue doing such.
My dear Claude, I am not feeling you today nor will I allow you to stress me out today or bring on any unnecessary anxiety. I have simply had enough of you and John for the week.
I have had enough of fraud cline and pastor Ram.
In a yard that is filled with dogs you’ll always find the puppies are the ones that are always picking trouble, and as soon as trouble starts, they are the first ones to run and hide…
The idea that Britain is some colonial power with eyes on the BVI’s riches is laughable. What riches are we talking about? The spoils of an offshore finance industry that saps the tax revenues of Europe? The CoI shed light on the corruption of the BVI elite who have squandered the revenue that the finance industry generated on vanity projects and corruption. And it is instructive that rather than address the specific points raised, the governing class cry racism and colonialism. Shame on them.
That have them foghting for the Falkland Island. What do the Falklands offer offer ? They have less than the BVI why are the Brits fighting hard to keep those Islands?
Wigo you need to keep you racist narratives on your yello site or in your duplicitous mind and stop blogging your filth on this site ( you already writing and blogging to what you write and still you playing trump on this site / just Claudia csc ” you are boring like a broken record , go and play with your WIG and hush , we would rather read some constructive bloggings that is positive and can learn something from
First you need to emancipate yourself from your evil mentality, it was “one AH we ” who boasted yhat this wasn’t his ” first rodeo ” not the white boyz ■ are you suffering from ” selective amnesia ❓️ / and Mr watchdog , PitBull would be a better name for (2025 ) the resemblance is frightening thats the way you
were a ting in the HOA/ thanks to the player Nataleo for the one good thing he achieved / oh bleaching your skin won’t do any good for you even if you should get the color like Cindy , which you are jealous of / it’s your mind & ego you needs to bleach/ but they are already in overdrive , so that may cause an implosion
CSC shut yuh darn trap and go sid down. As a dependent territory, people catching hell, what you think going to happen with yuh independence. Please! What yuh going use for currency? As independent yuh can’t consider the US$( which is drastically loosing it’s value)
The city SLICKer needs to join the WIGGED ONE on his infamous yello site , they both have the same mentality , two good orators on the negative side (sadly) these two niggaz believe they got the most brains and can outsmart anyone – anywhere- anytime and they really believe to / so they they will go to extra lengths to force duplicitous and narcissistic mentality down our throats by will or by force if necessary / if their tricky efforts failed they always have lots more tricks to try on us . csc mostly uses his famous million dollar smile and as for the WIGGED one , he wrote the book on hypocrisy / tru.p ain’t got nothing on these two WANNABES GANSTERS
CLINE IS PAID BY GOVT. US. OF COURSE HE WANTS INDEPENDENCE WHAT LITTLE TRANSPARENCY WE HAVE NOW WILL BE GONE. PEOPLE IN POWER WILL BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT
Focus on improving the country first, you quack. You suggesting independence to get away with the quacking repercussions FROM THE UK to steal the country’s money easier. We can’t even SUSTAIN OURSELVES with resources like agriculture, tourism, the overall country’s infrastructure, and the overall economy– And you talking about QUAKCKING independence?
Let’s not forget, we relying of US Products to stock our pantries. We relying on a failing education system WHICH FAILED A WHOLE GENERATION OF KIDS, btw. Moreover, we relying on a failing economy which doomed the daily quality of life of the people. And the minute the UK decide to intervene and get us out of this rough patch, the higher ups shy away from their assistance like a ducks bottom. And this is what you come up with?
Give your mouth a REST you quack, and QUACK YOU!
The Falkland Islands hold the rights to exploit the Antarctic once the non exploitation agreement lapses, without this border the Uk has no claim also oil exploration is underway. I think that clears that one up the uk will only send the marines in to help if you remember our own politicians left the island or hid after Irma and Maria .
Population around 2900 excluding 1600 military,ha sovereign wealth fund of around $600 million oil & gas exploration income, 10 prisoners in a jail maximum 18 beds , No murders for 30 years .
The UK gave the Territory $57 million as assistance shortly after Irma (and I’m fairly certain that there was more after that). So when you pound the table with talk of “independence,” remember that also includes being unable to ask for any assistance after the next major hurricane or other natural disaster.
Before his trial I expect he would like.
as an alternative, could join the united states of america and make the virgin islands great again
Perhaps,pres Trump should be alerted of the real possibility of Claude as one that got away.
Claude allegedly owes a debt to Detroit and the US but slipped out like a thief …say it isn’t so,President Trump.
When,pray tell,when will we be granted Independence from your face,voice presence…reminders of your thievery and scandalous moneyed wrong doings against us our treasury and Government.
Corruption rampant with over sight. Can you imagine NO OVER SIGHT? Independence? Every Trust company will be out of here in 24 hours and I will be leading the way. What is CSC smoking that causes him to bring up subject that is not possible in my life time? Boy stop it.