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Be clear on whether UK will help VI or not- Skelton-Cline to Gov Jaspert

- said UK would still have to approve money VI borrows from itself
Commentator Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has remarked that even as the Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert says the Virgin Islands (VI) has healthy reserves and enough finances to handle its own affairs regarding COVID-19, the UK still has to approve the funds. Photo: VINO/File
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert has said, 'We [VI] have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust,
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert has said, 'We [VI] have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust," implying that the territory has sufficient financing to manage its own affairs. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Consultant and outspoken moderator of the Honestly Speaking show, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has remarked that even as Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert says the Virgin Islands (VI) has healthy reserves and enough finances to handle its own affairs regarding COVID-19, the United Kingdom (UK) still has to approve the funds.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), in a statement on Saturday, March 28, 2020, had said Government was trusting that the Governor is able to assist the Territory with accessing funds from the UK to match what the VI was making available to its unemployed population as a result of COVID-19.

'Be clear on position' 

Governor Jaspert responded, “We [VI] have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust," implying that the Territory has sufficient financing. 

According to Skelton-Cline, while that answer is good based on the capacity of the Territory, the response is not good enough.

"I would suggest to the Governor that he tells the UK, through him, to tell us emphatically and conclusively whether or not they intend to help based on the request, or they are not going to help," he said.

"Be simple so that we are clear," he said to Governor Jaspert even as he, Skelton-Cline, had previously urged VI leaders to stop depending on the UK for help.

Hands Tied  

"If we should go to the Social Security Board... the UK still has to approve us having to borrow from ourselves," Skelton-Cline underscored.

He continued, "Even if we were to dip into our reserves, we still have to go to the UK for approval to use our own reserve funds," he said. 

Skelton-Cline commented it is unbelieve that in the 21st century, no matter which way the VI turns and despite good governance, the Territory is still subjected to colonial rule, "how is that we are still in this position?" he asked.

44 Responses to “Be clear on whether UK will help VI or not- Skelton-Cline to Gov Jaspert”

  • Don't need. (09/04/2020, 19:37) Like (14) Dislike (4) Reply
    If the UK help it's going to be real lockdown. Them white boys is who would be on the road. So Skelton-Cline you need to shut your mouth and think sometimes
  • Don't need 2 (09/04/2020, 19:39) Like (26) Dislike (6) Reply
    Andrew and his party is doing a great job. Persons might not understand the sense in it but they are doing the right thing.
  • Lord o (09/04/2020, 19:41) Like (7) Dislike (14) Reply
    We need to work. We need to help ourselves... cant understand when we say we need to work lots of people dont like that.. We need to work and feed our damilies.. cant afford to sit down home....We are not fortunate like some that sits at home and get a salary.. no wonder when we say set us free let us work.. they hate that... We need to go to work and help ourselves......Dont like depending on people for help....
  • pat (09/04/2020, 19:51) Like (115) Dislike (40) Reply
    The governor just looking to take over the bvi resist him people
  • Albert (09/04/2020, 20:09) Like (48) Dislike (6) Reply
    Talking loud and saying nothing. This appears to be Mr. Cline's general MO.
    U know that we're subjected to the oversight of the mother country - Nothing new there.
    I just don't understand what ur asking of the governor that he hasn't done or is prepared to do. Protocol must be followed.
    Besides not being a fan of this government official one must conclude that u, Mr. Cline, are just a publicity seeker and a general NUISANCE to the people and fabric of the BVI. Please, try and get a life beyond termite infestation.
    • To Albert (09/04/2020, 20:59) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
      That's right. He's just talking cause he has a mouth. But he isn't making sense out of it. Looking like the fool he is
    • @ Albert (09/04/2020, 21:09) Like (1) Dislike (29) Reply
      we thank you again Mr. Skelton-Cline for being a speaker of TRUTH. Again you are spot on the UK and the Little boy Governor has nothing good for us in the BVI.

      Hope he is not a racist!!! God bless the voice of reason and speaker of facts Claude, we backing you 100%
      • lodger (10/04/2020, 07:38) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
        Why so rude? Would you like to be called “a little boy”? Bet you wouldn't say that to his face!
        • @ lodger (10/04/2020, 09:27) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
          If it acts like a child, behave like a child, then it's a child ….He is another Trump
  • leadership (09/04/2020, 20:14) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    freedom means Independence, are we able to go independent: Independence is a very serious leap and can our islands truly survive in this new world order as an independent nation: who will be our trading partners; what will be our currency; can we sustain our own border defense system: one will hope that the people of the territory will have a definite say should the issue of seeking Independence come up and let the people vote: we currently enjoy substantial global recognition simply because we are an overseas Territory under the UK
  • NICK (09/04/2020, 20:38) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is normal that the uk is keeping an eye on the bvi money .less corruption and family contract.
  • Elected Officials (09/04/2020, 20:54) Like (1) Dislike (15) Reply
    We love when our elected officials speak up for us. That’s why I voted for Skeleton Clime.
  • Dulce (09/04/2020, 21:07) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    My understanding from the Governors speech, in response to the VI request for economic assistance put forth to the UK, is that he was advised by the UK that they (UK) would,first have to see and review the Stimulus Package which the VI is planning for the country,,before they could make a decision on the request.
    Has the VI Gov responded and done the submission? If they did, cant be more than a week.
  • Worried (09/04/2020, 21:37) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
    Would someone please shut this little man up!

    Mr. Skelton-Kline, please stop trying to hype up the people! Get your facts straight! Wait to see how the pandemic plays out for the territory. Stop the scaremongering, please!

    Why are we giving this little man so much attention?
    • @ worried (10/04/2020, 00:42) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      let Claude work for his contract money because he is giving each one of us something to blog about especially while under house arrest: yes, you can now vent your frustration and pent up aggression thanks to Mr Cline....in our territory all have the right to an opinion, like it or not BVI is a democratic society
  • 2020 (09/04/2020, 21:46) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Governor Jaspert responded, “We [VI] have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust,"

    If the above is not clear enough then the Governor is speaking to @$$€$.
    • @2020 (10/04/2020, 09:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Okay. So where do we go from here.
      This is urgent. Where is the plan going forward or are we to remain stuck on stupid with crazies, spinning, personal attacks, instigating and agitating for their personal warped needs and agenda..
  • legal team (09/04/2020, 22:13) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    Skelton Cline said:-

    ["The territory is still subjected to COLONIAL-RULE"]

    Colonial rule?

    Ah wah dis mee ah read pon VINO?

    Cline, don't try to be a teacher at any of our schools.

    You will mislead students on their true sovereignty.

    Ofcourse we are subjected to UK COLONIAL RULE!

    The Virgin Islands [BVI] is a British Overseas Territory, formerly called ["British DEPENDENT- Territory"]

    The BVI is a COLONY of the [Great Britain] United Kingdom, with Queen Elizabeth the Second, holding the Monarchy.

    All the show-off we showing off in the BVI, calling non-belongers I-Lan-Man [expatriate] and we saying, ah born-hier that ent got no significance of ownership, because we belong to the Virgin Islands, but the Virgin Islands belongs to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island.

    Tomorrow, the UK can sell the BVI to the Dominican Republic [santo domingo] and all belongers will be called Dominicana; just like that!

    Every elected member of the house of assembly, must take an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty, as stipulated in schedule 1 of the new Constitution of 2007.

    This is the Oath of allegiance that the Premier and other ministers took after the ,2019 general elections:-

    [" I (PREMIER/MINISTER) do swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true ALLEGIANCE to HER MAJESTY Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors, ACCORDING TO LAW, so help me God"]

    The BVI is not an Independent Country:

    We must be loyal to Her Majesty, the Queen.

    Our BVI Constitution states:-

    [" There shall be a Governor of the Virgin Islands who shall be appointed by Her Majesty by commission under Her Sign Manual and SHALL hold office [in the BVI] during Her Majesty's Pleasure"]

    Did you read that in the Constitution? "Her Majesty's Pleasure:

    The Governor, represents the Queen in HER BVI, He run tings in the BVI.

    We must be loyal to His Excellency.

    We must continue to teach students in our schools, to let them learn about British UK Colonization in the West Indies [Caribbean] including the Virgin Islands BVI. So they will stop using discrimatory words to describe their Caribbean colleages such as, "I-lan-man".

    Because, most of our Caribbean brothers and sisters living in the BVI,today, were born as:-

    ["Citizens of the UNITED KINGDOM and Colonies"] before their countries got independence from Great Britain.

    They were not born as "I-Lan-Man".

    They were born [CUKC]

    God save the Queen and the British Virgin Islands.

    One love,BVI


  • Camera & Mike (09/04/2020, 23:14) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cline loves being in the spot light. He loves the publicity. I am going to get the attention even if I have to flip the script and stir things a bit. He is very controversial.
  • Grandma's Wisdom (10/04/2020, 00:57) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    Grandma told me "bigger the bible bigger the crook"
    • @ grandmas wisdom (10/04/2020, 08:54) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      The real crook is those who continue to fight the elected government for power
  • Slavery (10/04/2020, 01:52) Like (26) Dislike (17) Reply
    Claude is right yet again down with this unelected man
  • i told you so (10/04/2020, 01:55) Like (25) Dislike (14) Reply
    Jespert is two faced just ask cabinet
  • Gandalf (10/04/2020, 08:17) Like (10) Dislike (11) Reply
    If it is not one Cline it is another Cline have you no mercy in these lock down times? I am so sick of this cat and the Bishop.
  • legal team (10/04/2020, 09:01) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply

    I am calling on the Ministry of Education, to emphasize more, on teaching our students, about our sovereignty.

    Because, here you have Skelton-Cline, telling the world that we are not under British/UK rule.

    We as citizens of Her Majesty, and we cannot be disloyal to Her Majesty, the Queen, of the United Kingdom, by saying or implying that we are not under Her Ruler.

    The National anthem of the BVI, is the same National anthem of the United Kingdom, and the words/lyrics are clear, as to who is our sovereign ruler.

    The lyrics and words of the BVI and UK National anthem of God save the queen are similar or same.

    Sing with me student, Skelton-Cline...

    [" God save our gracious queen
    Long live our noble queen
    God save the queen:
    Send Her victorious
    happy and glorious
    Long to reign over us
    God save the queen...

    O lord our god arise
    Scatter her enemies,
    and make them fall
    Confound their politics
    frustrate their knavish tricks
    on the our hope we fix
    God save the queen...

    Thy choicest gifts in store
    on her be pleased to pour
    long may she reign:
    may she defend our laws
    and ever give us cause
    to sing with heart and voice
    God save the Queen..
    Now, You went on radio and defying UK-rule over us, and misleading our beloved citizens and residents that we are not under british colonization?

    I said before, and I will say it again:

    We spend so much time calling our fellow British Colony Citizens,of the Caribbean, I-LAN-MAN, and forgot our own colony-citizenship, and we would say, "This is our country-This is my country".

    It's NOT our country, but we BELONG the country.

    Our sovereignty is UK-British rule.

    My fellow BVI Citizens, face the true facts in 2020.

    God save the Queen.
  • LEGAL TEM (10/04/2020, 10:36) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do you know what's the real meaning of treason?

    Some of us commit treason by disloyalty to country and ruler.

    The father is the ruler of the home.

    We must abide by his laws and rules.

    Accept BVI. UK run tings.
  • @ legal team (10/04/2020, 10:37) Like (1) Dislike (7) Reply
    some of Us feel your pain however try to emancipate yourself from mental slavery.....UK is like some Tola landlord don’t maintain their properties but each month end, them collecting the rent
    • Curious (10/04/2020, 11:13) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      What rent do they collect?
    • Landlord (10/04/2020, 20:03) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      If the landlord rent the apt and the tenant mash it and the have to repair and upgrade the rent must go up otherwise pay the same for no upgrade.uk dont have to maintain tola but uk rule us all in tola who doh like it dump it
  • CS (10/04/2020, 13:11) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Stop paying your salary for once. You know how many people that would support?
  • legal team (10/04/2020, 17:27) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I made an observation

    Do you notice in the photo with skelton cline?

    he is holding a copy of the bvi constitution in his left hand

    but he does not read it and be truthful to opening statements inside the new 2007 bvi constitution.

    how did we get that new constitution in 2007?

    A bvi delegation lead by the chief minister dr.d Orlando smith,traveled to the UK in march-april, 2007, to request from her majesty the queen,a new constititon for the bvi.

    we got it from her majesty the queen,the ruler of the bvi.

    I would like skelton-cline to open page 4 in his copy, and read along with me:-

    ["At the court,at Buckingham palace,the 13th day of june 2007,
    present,
    the queen's most excellent majesty in council:
    her majesty,in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by section 5 and 7 of the west indies act 1962(a) and of all other powers enabling her to do so,is pleased by and with the advice of her privy council,to order,and it is ordered,as fllows,,,,"]

    What was ordered by her majesty in council at Buckingham palace?

    [" This order may be cited as the virgin islands constitution order 2007"]

    I will not sit by and allow skelton-cline to misled my people of the bvi, as he continue to display this level of disloyalty to her majesty.

    her majesty,in the new constitution,gave us fundamental rights and freedoms,for the first time in our history, therefore her majesty has "emancipated us from our mental slavery" in the BVI.

    That is why I am so passionate about our fundamental rights and freedoms in a free and democratic bvi.

    We can now use the provisions of the new constitution to seek redress,in the high court of justice,if any of our fundamental rights was contravened by any one in authority in the bvi.

    That is what you call true emancipation from mental slavery in the BVI.

    God save the queen and the governor. Long live the queen and her representative in the bvi.
  • Disrespectful (11/04/2020, 06:57) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am a BVIslander and can say that recent governments (both NDP and VIP) has been very disrespectful towards our relationship with the UK. However we are quick to call them out when we need assistance. We must do better and mend this broken relationship else nothing good will come from it. Stop letting your cronies make these types of statements on your behalf. We have to do better or worst must come. We can’t stand on our own 2 feet no matter how we like to act like we better than others. FIX IT!
  • Real peoplo (11/04/2020, 09:27) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Protocals of effective financial management
  • Legal team-final chapter (11/04/2020, 16:48) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Skelton-Cline:

    Let us now go to the UK laws and read with me, because I would like you to stop this outburst on the uk and the uk-appointed governor.

    Read the British Overseas Territories Act,2002 [c.8] and explain to the school students of our blessed bvi what this section of the UK laws signifies. That law is an act of the UK Parliament. Not BVI parliament!

    That piece of UK legislation, superseded the British Nationality Act,0f 1981,which governed BVI before June, 2007.

    The UK-BOT Act,2002, makes provision to remove/delete the words "British Dependent Territory-BDT" and replaced it with the words "British Overseas Territory-BOT".

    It also makes provision for all citizens of the BVI,who became citizens [by birth or otherwise] before 21st May,2001, to automatically become British Citizens of the UK of great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    Also,persons who became bvi citizens from may 2002 on-wards,can now be registered,as a british citizen on application to the secretary of state, uk, through the governor of the BVI.

    So Mr.Skelton-Cline,go and read the BVI Constitution of 2007,The British Nationality Act of 1981 and the British Overseas Territories Act of 2002....

    And stop going on radio defying your fellow UK Citizen[the governor] with your hidden racism.

    Teach the bvi school students about the new and recent sovereignty, that we received from the UK,and remind them that we are still under uk colonization but the bvi is now self-reliant.

    No more British dependent territory but now british overseas territory.

    United we stand with the UK governor but divided we fall without the UK governor.

    One love BVI


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