'The whole damn system is rigged'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
Speaking during his radio show, Honestly Speaking, on Tuesday, July 29, 2026, a frustrated Skelton-Cline blamed the lack of proper legislation for the current state of the cost of living. While on previous shows, he cast blame on Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Hon Lorna G. Smith (AL), OBE, for dismantling the Trade Commission, he said on Tuesday that the issues with consumer protection rights date back to the late Hon Ralph T. O’Neil administration.
“It intensified under Dr D Orlando Smith's government. It perpetuated through successive governments,” he added.
Cannibalising of the markets
Skelton-Cline opined that big companies, such as RiteWay and Sunoco, have been allowed to have the monopoly on food and fuel, as they sell wholesale and compete with the smaller companies that buy from them in the retail market as well.
“The only reason why these monopolies, and you've got to call it what it is, can continue to do what they do is because elected officials have refused to do what is right to protect you and I as citizens in this country. So they cannibalise…They wipe out the small and middle mom-and-pop shop companies. That's what they do. They end up closing.”
He reminded people that RiteWay promised better prices when they came over to the Virgin Islands, something that their customers have yet to see reflected on the shelves.
“It is wrong, it is immoral, it is unethical, and that’s why ain’t no change for the cost of living in this country…they’re eating us up, they’re eating us for lunch, for breakfast, for dinner; and they’re not concerned about us. The only thing they’re concerned about is their shareholders.”
Skelton-Cline asked where the benefit to the citizens of the VI is.
“What makes the Virgin Islands unique is that the local population can be owners and determiners of their own fate and destinies in the marketplace…the violation is intensifying.”
The system is rigged
Quoting US President Donald J. Trump, Skelton-Cline said, “The whole damn system is rigged. It’s a rigged system. It’s not designed to set us free; it’s not designed for our economic empowerment. It is designed for us to remain subservient…We are being taken advantage of.”
He again accused the current government and previous governments of remaining silent instead of protecting consumers. “How the hell are you going to grant an overall general license? So now we have a situation with this multinational company out of Canada, owning RiteWay monopoly. Then we have Sunoco, owning Delta, owning Sol, owning Peerless in Puerto Rico, where everybody now gotta buy their fuel, their diesel from this one company, monopoly.”
The clergyman said church folks are still telling people to “declare and decree” they are millionaires, but questioned the reality behind it. “How the hell you going to be a millionaire…how you going to do it, when the system is rigged against you?”
People, he said, are eagerly awaiting their salaries so that they can meet their financial obligations and feed their families.
“This ain’t no joke out here. And the whole system is rigged against you, and nobody will tell you the honest truth. And you know why they won’t tell you the truth? Because a lot of them have a vested interest in the system remaining the way it is.”
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20 Responses to “'The whole damn system is rigged'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
Lets look at the numbers so everyone understands.
The Cost of goods $10 per lb as an example.
0.50c per lb is the freight cost.
Insurance 1% to the port
Wharfage 2% to Clear the port.
Duty is charged Cost $10+Insurance+Freight X duty rate (e.g.10%)
The Duty on the freight is currently reduced but this pushed up the price a lot. The Freight costs on the Bill of laiden is Freigh, Fuel Surcharge, Dispembarkation fees, insurance so all this is taxes as a duty rate.
So here are some examples
Chicken $10lb 0% duty, = Landed price $10.80 Retail X 1.4 = $15.12 Retaurant x 3 $45.36
Meat $10lb 5% Duty. = Landed Price $11.33 Retail x 1.4 = $15.86 Restaurant x 3 $47.58
Seafood $10lb 15% Duty = Landed $12.39 Retail 1.4 = $17.35 Restaurant x 3 $52.05
There are some assumptions here they are not all the same price and portions will vary but to give an example like for like weights and duty rates. The same Margin on all the products for retail or a restaurant buying retail and marking up.
Now lets add 10% Donald Trump Tarrif to all the items being imported to the USA. this will add $1 to each Item
Chicken $11.83
Meat $12.41
Seafood $13.57
Fuel Surcharge added 50% now 10% on cost and 50% on fuel
Chicken $12.08
Meat $12.67
Seafood $13.86
Cost Price have risen on the items
Chicken $1.28 per lb landed
Meat $1.34 per ln Landed
Seafood $1.47 per Lb Landed.
The cost of living has gone up a lot from the Suppliers in the USA where we depend on most of our food. The alternatives are to shop elsewhere like Europe, Canada etc. Then the cost will drop but the investment in the stock is huge.
All of the electricity bills have risen for businesses with freezers are arount $1000 increase or more.
So the issue is not with the businesses but the World econimics. With carfull purchaseing and finding new suppliers and importing larger qty from other countries is the only way we can bring the prices down.
What can the Government do?
Reduce Duty rates permently on Shipping costs. THis pushed the cost of the goods up a lot, In the past this was duty free for resellers but they changed this, They increased wharfage 100% from 1%-2% which increased the prices up a lot,
I think across the board all food should be 5%
Alchol duty was increased from 1.10 for wine and 1.20 for spitits to 15%. Massive increase in duty which added $10 per bottle of wine at the restaurant table. $30-$40.
So there is a lot the government has implemented in the past to increase the price of goods arriving in the BVI and the increase in fuel and cost has increased massively.
The customer on the street World wide has seen the increase but unfortunarly saleries have not risen at the same speed.
I suggest that all the food in the BVI Duty rates be revied and look at health options like fish to be reduced to 5%. If needed chicken is duty free add a small duty. Most of the condiments are 10% fruit and Veg duty free, Tinned or frozen fruit and Veg 5%.
Lets look at the customers first and the businesses will follow, Making changed for 3 months and expecting supermarkets to change the price on everything is not viable as there are 1000's products.
The depamd for Fuel surcharge is again another tax on customers at the electricity or an interest free bank loan to the Government. They are happy to write of 20M in electricity to the NHI for the hospitals and clinics but im sure they had not planned for a 20M hole in the Collectables. This is reinvestment money to secure the future infrastructure.
Currently its 9 Years old but we are still getting power outages so there are bigger issues to address here in supply guarentee,
I hope this enlightens customers on how much the world economy is effecting prices and how the local government can change the system to create fair food pricing for all.
Someting fishy
We gettin druuuuuuunk