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'Everybody got a pop up shop' in Road Town- Claude O. Skelton-Cline

- calls for order & segregated spaces for entrepreneurs
Too many vending has started to take place in Road Town and needs to be controlled, according to talk show host Claude O. Skelton-Cline. Photo: VINO/File
ZBVI 780 radio moderator, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has moved to lash out against authorities over non-action regarding widespread vending and what he called 'pop-up shops' plaguing Road Town, the capital city of the Virgin Islands (VI). Photo: VINO/File
ZBVI 780 radio moderator, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has moved to lash out against authorities over non-action regarding widespread vending and what he called 'pop-up shops' plaguing Road Town, the capital city of the Virgin Islands (VI). Photo: VINO/File
Mostly on weekdays expat men could be seen grouped under trees and under buildings in Road Town. While it is our understanding the men are usually waiting for pickup from their employers or hoping to be employed for the day, it is unclear if all of them are properly documented. Photo: VINO/File
Mostly on weekdays expat men could be seen grouped under trees and under buildings in Road Town. While it is our understanding the men are usually waiting for pickup from their employers or hoping to be employed for the day, it is unclear if all of them are properly documented. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI - Commentator Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has moved to lash out against authorities over non-action regarding widespread vending and what he called 'pop-up shops' plaguing Road Town, the capital city of the Virgin Islands (VI).

Mr Skelton-Cline aired his concerns during the Tuesday, December 10, 2019, edition of his Honestly Speaking radio show on ZBVI 780 AM, where he also touched on 'liming' by men looking for work as an ongoing issue in the capital city, asserting that it is being ignored. 

Vending all over RT

"I am concerned that our town, that our city, our capital... is not as clean as it ought to be, we are more than two years out now in terms of hurricanes Irma and Maria and I see a lot of vendors throughout the place, everybody got a pop-up shop," he said.

The man of the cloth continued, "While we do want to be industrious and while we do want to have persons to express their entrepreneurial spirit, there needs to order and there need to be segregated spaces where these kinds of market place business is conducted." 

He said authorities now have a responsibility to manage the growth of the territory, given that several nationalities now call the VI their home. 

Preserving Cultures 

According to Skelton-Cline, the territory needs to find ways to maintain and preserve the culture of the Virgin Islands (VI), "our own history while having persons in pockets to celebrate their own but where our flag and our culture and our cuisine and everything that is Virgin Islander is pronounced," he said.  

On the October 8, 2019 edition of Honestly Speaking, Mr Skelton-Cline had remarked that men 'liming' on corners was a possible social challenge, "I am deeply concerned about what I see emerging as what would be a social challenge for us here in this country," he said.

The activity of liming and sitting around he said, was changing the culture of the territory akin to places like Jamaica and Santo Domingo, which is the capital city of the Dominican Republic.

'Men still liming' - Skelton-Cline 

Noting that men continue to 'lime' or 'hangout' at various corners of the territory, he said, "We have to clean up our city, we have to put persons who are selling their wares in segregated spaces, the place as you drive through has to feel safe, smell good, looks good... it is the capital," he said.

Skelton-Cline has previously called for more monitoring of the population as it relates to the high number of males socialising under trees and at corners in various parts of the territory.

30 Responses to “'Everybody got a pop up shop' in Road Town- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”

  • Mr Cline (11/12/2019, 17:22) Like (8) Dislike (9) Reply
    It would sound better if you said everyone have a pop up shop. Not everybody got a pop up shop.
  • Its true (11/12/2019, 17:24) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Even a dead clock is right twice a day
  • lmao (11/12/2019, 17:28) Like (23) Dislike (11) Reply
    Ghetto City Road Town. Reminds me of dirty smelly China Town in New York City.
  • Guest (11/12/2019, 17:42) Like (95) Dislike (2) Reply
    Well I guess not everyone is lucky enough to land pop up consultation contracts out of the blue....
  • What!! (11/12/2019, 18:05) Like (46) Dislike (2) Reply
    For a place that has a lack of parking spaces why are people allowed to set up vending tents, car washes (several) , even a mobile laundry truck taking up space across from the hospital. Why can the city manager not get people doing business out of our public parking spaces?
  • I agree (11/12/2019, 18:07) Like (36) Dislike (0) Reply
    I totally agree with him. You may not like the messenger, but we need to take heed of the message he carries.

    The man of the cloth was certainly not talking froth.
  • tretretrete (11/12/2019, 18:31) Like (13) Dislike (22) Reply
    This man always opening his mouth saying some kind of nonsense what he don’t talk about why did he leave Detroit and come back to Tortola all of them need to go jail
    • @hmmmm (11/12/2019, 22:29) Like (20) Dislike (10) Reply
      Did he do something to go jail...stop talking what you don't know....the first lawsuit you all get for defamation of character alyo will keep alyo mouth shut
  • eyes (11/12/2019, 18:50) Like (32) Dislike (9) Reply
    Claude needs shut his a...s up at least people not leaching off government for a eat .
  • 123 (11/12/2019, 19:16) Like (29) Dislike (8) Reply
    the man speaking good
  • tola (11/12/2019, 21:29) Like (26) Dislike (2) Reply
    He right
  • Go Siddung (11/12/2019, 22:25) Like (17) Dislike (4) Reply
    Why he don't go put that in the report they were supposed to share with the public before he got more of our tax money.
  • For God in heaven sake go siding (11/12/2019, 23:44) Like (5) Dislike (8) Reply
    You need to control your own young son of the soil 1st and foremost. ain't nobody create blocks hanging out like them. they are new generation and you can't stop this. Pray for them ain't you on the pulpit preaching prayer changes things so what happened now?, is it Claude changes things hmm
  • Many are called but (12/12/2019, 05:06) Like (9) Dislike (7) Reply
    Yes sir you have a point....But ROAD TOWN BY ITSELF IS STINK DNT TRY TO BLAME IT ON OTHER PEOPLE PLUS ITS VERY UNDERDEVELOPED ..OOOOO u mention jamaica sir I can personal tell you no zero about our beautiful island the most u can say is crime situation we working on it by the way !!! Did you no that jamaica was the second most visited island in the Caribbean after Dominic Republic for tourist we is the HUB OF THE CARIBBEAN...DNT USE OUR COUNTRY NAME IN UR TALKING POINTS ...." NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAY LORD LORD SHALL ENTER IN HIS KINGDOM YOU SHOULD READ THE REST OF IT "PASTOR" OH U PROBABLY NO IT ALREADY THIS WORD BEST DESCRIBE YOU DECEPTIVE!!!!! LOOK LIKE A LAMB BUT SPEAK LIKE A DRAGON
  • Forrest Gump Redux (12/12/2019, 07:01) Like (9) Dislike (25) Reply
    Opinions are like *$$holes - everyone has one!! Now to the point of matter if rent in town for retail spaces was not so exorbitant & the landlords fixed up their properties then HONEST hard-working tax payers (that $144k has to come from somewhere!) had somewhere to ply their goods then this wouldn’t happen as frequently!
    As for the blocks - it’s an issue now but when you was on a block (waterfront) you didn’t have issue then! So what’s the real talking point Claude?
  • Norris Turnbull (12/12/2019, 07:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dont forget the irregular economy that is thriving in the Bee Wee Eye.
  • Come on (12/12/2019, 08:32) Like (32) Dislike (0) Reply
    The trash bin by Virgin queen entrance needs to removed permanently, also the BVI flag needs to be flown at the roundabouts 365
    • @Come on (13/12/2019, 00:18) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I wish I could like your comment a million times
      • @@ Come on (13/12/2019, 09:56) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        I agree with you both, plus they need to MAKE some of the building owners get there structures up to some sort of code of appearance, repaint, fix broke structures and where construction is being done, they need to give them a strict deadline to have those buildings completed and the area cleaned and restored, is about the same 2 years now it have buildings in town with scaffolding or plywood fencing around them, clean around their yard spaces, cut grassy patches around there buildings, its not just about the pop up shops causing the eye sores. It’s the already existing structures that are as well. And I also agree, a lot of business are taking up useful parking spaces. Why is it necessary to have so many car washes in such close proximity to each other and takin up parking spaces. Do what needs to be done and stop jus bumpin your gums about it
  • =) (12/12/2019, 09:56) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    lots of car wash businesses too and they hold up parking spaces with no care to the world, as if they are paying taxes.
  • musa (12/12/2019, 10:36) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    working for a clean $ IS GREAT BUY WE MUST WORK FOR IT .
  • Joy Nisbet (12/12/2019, 10:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok ,so in some places the government sent tax collectors on a market day to all the vendors be it under tents, back of your trucks/van's whatever you are selling in or from as long as you occupy the town's market square exempting the sidewalks. You are charged a fee.
  • rewrsdffds (12/12/2019, 11:56) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    He is right... the town too nasty and junky... everywhere you turn, somebody have a tent or out the back of a car selling something... its ridiculous.. we look like a third world country (we already are)
  • @many are call (12/12/2019, 12:26) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    I couldn’t have said it better. Everything them put Jamaica into, good and bad we are the best, Jamaica is a well developed country and can not compare . Please please unnu leave Jamaica outa unnu story. If a man steal a mango or breeze blow up a woman dress bet you them say is Jamaica. Why can’t you all check out the good things going on in Jamaica and learn something.
  • Watchers (12/12/2019, 18:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Poor Tortola. Not even the national security they want to pay properly. This generation is destroy the island that once use to be virgin. What a waste of resources because of bad mind.
  • Concerned (12/12/2019, 20:35) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    The area by the market is unsightly. All vendors need to move until the market is refurnished.
  • The struggle is real. (18/12/2019, 14:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hey funnyman mr big salary these pop-up shop persons well be paying taxes social security .
    What you really should be fighting for. From time hurricane Irma, ( everything gone up from Rent insurance water electricity Food materials, stupidity proud boostful arrogant lovers of pleasure and themselves, all these increased, you go riteway after spending so much money you still has to purchase bags, all these things gone up , you can goan talk
    You is ok , but there person's who are struggling trying to make ends meets the small man , YOU need to stop with your oppressive spirit, you need deliverance.


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