Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Time to banish 'Sir Francis Drake' from VI history books - Skelton-Cline

- calls for ending to Territory Day celebration in favour of a Virgin Islands Day
ZBVI 'Honestly Speaking' radio moderator, Claude Skelton-Cline has called for remnants of slavery such as the people who were involved in slave trades to be removed from VI history book and called out for the role they played in the oppression of people of African descent. Photo: Facebook/Internet Source
Skelton-Cline's comments echo those made by another radio host, Cromwell Smith aka 'Edju Enka' in January 2020 on the same radio station, 'All the places that we have is named after these murderers and thieves,' Smith told the listening audience on an episode on his Umoja show. Photo: VINO/File
Skelton-Cline's comments echo those made by another radio host, Cromwell Smith aka 'Edju Enka' in January 2020 on the same radio station, 'All the places that we have is named after these murderers and thieves,' Smith told the listening audience on an episode on his Umoja show. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI - ZBVI 'Honestly Speaking' radio moderator, Claude Skelton-Cline has called for remnants of slavery, such as the names of people who were involved in slave trades, to be removed from the Virgin Islands history books and called out for the role they played in the oppression of people of African descent.

"We must remove them from the history books of our curriculum as heroes and sheroes when they were full participants in the subjugation, in the oppression, in the terrorisation of a people simply by their skin colour," he said on the July 7, 2020, edition of his show on ZBVI 780am. 

"Things like the Sir Francis Drake Channel, a known slave trader, a man who terrorised this country, territories across South America, terrorised across the Caribbean, and we hold him up as a hero and he's not a hero," he said. 

VI named after murders & thieves - Cromwell Smith 

Skelton-Cline's comments echo those made by another radio host, Cromwell Smith aka 'Edju Enka' in January 2020, on the same radio station.

“All the places that we have is named after these murderers and thieves," Smith told the listening audience on an episode on his Umoja show Thursday, January 9. 

His comments came after his guest expressed displeasure over the names, “we talk about young people and what we expect from them… but look at our historical places in the BVI... Blackburn highway etc… these men were pirates, there’s nothing good about a pirate,” guest Ken Boynes uttered.

End Territory Day celebrations - Skelton-Cline 

Skelton-Cline also called for the ending to Territory Day celebration in favour of a 'Virgin Islands Day'. "We are not a territory, we need to reject the names that have been ascribed to us as a corporate body and celebrate who we really are as Virgin Islanders." 

He said names like Sir Francis Drake should be banished from VI's curriculums. "He is not the kind of name that should be spoken of, taught of, in our schools in any beneficent way. We must call these people out for who they are."

69 Responses to “Time to banish 'Sir Francis Drake' from VI history books - Skelton-Cline”

  • just wrong (09/07/2020, 17:12) Like (51) Dislike (11) Reply
    ARE YOU SERIOUS ??? Yes, I'm yelling. How stupid.
    • great (09/07/2020, 17:17) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
      The only time I agree with Skelton If you know the history behind it. It was a channel where black slaves passed through and was named after the master Sir Francis Drakes.
    • Jay (09/07/2020, 17:34) Like (76) Dislike (11) Reply
      Whether right or wrong it’s history, and from history we learn and grow.
      Brushing under the carpet and pretending things didn’t happen is ridiculous.
      Spend your time on something g productive.
      • rightmove (11/07/2020, 16:35) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
        Being taught your history and not celebrating vile people are different. We should remember but remembering in text books isn't the same as naming in honor of.
    • huh (09/07/2020, 21:03) Like (73) Dislike (5) Reply
      What history will remember is the massive overspend that Claude O (for overspend) Skelton Cline was responsible for at the Pier Park. A COSC is now an acronym in accounting for a massive unaccounted for overspend on a project.
    • josiah'sbay (10/07/2020, 09:30) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
      Mr. Cline is correct. The question is why do we oppose him? We have many dissenters with varying dislikes for what he saying but none have accuse him of lying.
    • .com (11/07/2020, 13:16) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I'm in agreement with the comments of just wrong. You CAN'T REMOVE HISTORY. Simply tell/teach it like it is.
    • Tangy (12/07/2020, 11:17) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      It really is stupid. Everyone has good and bad. Nelson Mandela
      Conspired to blow to pieces innocent people yet we prefer to
      Celebrate his positive contribution.
      Erasing Sir Francis Drake
      Is like the nazis burning books.
      Accept we are all complicated.
      That’s what being an adult teaches us.
  • Chuh (09/07/2020, 17:18) Like (6) Dislike (45) Reply
    Them island people going come under disagreeing because they know nothing about the Virgin Islands British and US history
    • resident (09/07/2020, 19:09) Like (73) Dislike (11) Reply
      Island people can teach you about V. I history. We are the ones teaching many of you and your children about your own history. Check the schools and other educational institutions.
      • wow (10/07/2020, 06:50) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
        To Resident,I begging please don't waste you precious reply to chuh, he doesn't know better, he loves island people so much that he can't stop mentioning their names, island people sis gold to him,that's why he can mention island people name in every article and thinking that no one is him.
      • @resident (10/07/2020, 08:10) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
        Maybe that's why the children so messed up. Some just do it for the salary.
        • @@resident (10/07/2020, 12:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
          If you really want to know "why the children so messed up", you need to look at the parents! Whether they're born "yah" or elsewhere, that's where the buck stops.
    • @chuh (10/07/2020, 08:01) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Still dangling on your puppet strings aye?
  • post it (09/07/2020, 17:26) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
    i convince you are a mad max.
  • YES SIR (09/07/2020, 17:28) Like (16) Dislike (29) Reply
    Mr Cline u hit d hammer on the nail me son
  • K (09/07/2020, 17:34) Like (1) Dislike (15) Reply
    Mr Cline I am not bashing u with respect u making sense out of nonsense
  • resident (09/07/2020, 17:36) Like (58) Dislike (9) Reply
    Oh my gosh, every time you hear this man is some controversial issue. It is getting to be too much now.
  • great (09/07/2020, 17:37) Like (7) Dislike (9) Reply
    let us name the highway after alvin christopher
  • True (09/07/2020, 17:37) Like (51) Dislike (5) Reply
    This man of the cloth or so he calls himself, is full of hatred and needs to feel relevant in his little world. All history should be taught so mistakes are not made again, this is how the world learns and heals, perhaps you should try it being a so called man of the cloth and that brings up the question as to why?
    Let me a non church goer explain your faith to you. Ephesians 6:5, “Slaves obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would show to Christ.
    ”Timothy 6:1, “All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honour, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.”

    You follow me preacher? The hate you spew is on the very book you cherish given to you by your masters long ago to subjegate and control and its still working.
    • josiah'sbay (10/07/2020, 09:40) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      We do not learn history from the names of entities, statues or pictures. History is learned through past down knowledge, schools, museums and such things. If mankind is humanity then no human should enslave an other, if your religion tell you that it's okay to do so you should reexamine that religion.
  • clear (09/07/2020, 17:39) Like (60) Dislike (8) Reply

    So to be clear get rid of Lettsome, Skelton, Smith, Wheatley, Potter, and all the rest of the names that are linked.....you need to get your a$$ back state side where the hatred is real.

    • Kingfish (09/07/2020, 20:07) Like (32) Dislike (2) Reply
      @Clear: You are 1000% correct, just about every last name in the Virgin Islands is associated with slavery, if the name was not acquired from the slave owners it was a result of raping the women slaves or in some documented cases the children of slaves owners marrying freed slaves. I guess Claude and Punchie will want the last name of Virgin Islanders
      changed to an African name that no one can pronounce. These guys need to understand that slavery was a two way street, blacks were hunted, caught and SOLD BY BLACKS in Africa to Arabs and Whites. When will they start blaming the countries in Africa for the wrong done to the slaves they sold.
    • the rock (10/07/2020, 04:55) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Yes get rid of them all-
  • history teacher (09/07/2020, 17:52) Like (1) Dislike (40) Reply
    Claude is a good man teach brother
  • John (09/07/2020, 17:52) Like (12) Dislike (23) Reply
    It is way passed the time to call Francis Drake and others what they truly were: murderers, thieves, enslavers, exploiters. They should no longer be celebrated by having places named after them. We must let their names die. Please, CSC and Edju, start a petition to have the sea channel and other places renamed.
  • Guest (09/07/2020, 17:59) Like (21) Dislike (2) Reply
    I was waiting to see how long before our resident local lunatics would start.......
  • agreed (09/07/2020, 18:02) Like (6) Dislike (25) Reply
    This is a man who speaks on all of our behalves! People of the B.V.I., all my Caribbean people ! This is our History, and unfortunately He Is Right !
  • resident (09/07/2020, 18:04) Like (21) Dislike (2) Reply
    Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them, it will never be enough for those who want to whitewash history
  • Diaspora (09/07/2020, 19:04) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
    The history books are replete with falsehoods and presented information varnished and sanitized by people who wanted make themselves look good. The history books were written by the conquerors, not the conquered. The next time I stumbled upon my old West Indian history it is going to the dung heap where it belongs, for it is not worth the cheap paper it is printed on. The names of pirates, eg, Drake, Hawkins, Nelson, Morgan, Columbus....etc that are plastered on oceans, infrastructure, buildings......etc needs to be reviewed. Some of them are in the Arthur Hodge, the only White man that was hanged in the West Indies for killing a slave, league in regards to their infamy.
    • lodger (09/07/2020, 20:25) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      So you have proof that was written about them is wrong?
      • @lodger (10/07/2020, 10:41) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        Do you have proof that what was written about them is right?
      • BS! (10/07/2020, 15:40) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        History is written by the victors. Therefore it is always skewed in their favor and is always wrong to some degree.
  • K (09/07/2020, 20:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Territory is land which controlied by a particular country or rules by d man is trying to shed light that's all
  • Reallly (09/07/2020, 20:41) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    CSC whats to re write history. ????
    so as @ clear says...do we have to get rid of our namesakes aswell.?
    come on Mr. SC.

    save your energy for uncovering all of the major fraud and embezilement from past government please
  • dude (09/07/2020, 20:48) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr Cline Removing or trying to forget history & act like it didn't happen is exactly what causes us to fall victim to self oppression & modern day slavery. It should be taught more!
  • Outsider (09/07/2020, 20:52) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    Man of the cloth, you bet cart your tail back in the Us with your copy cat behaviour. You learn American history and let my British one alone. We don't want that out of control behaviour here. The hidden hands have you all just where they want you. Divide, weak and conquer!! Stop and go sit down!!
    • the rock (10/07/2020, 04:58) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
      You speak fir yourself Claude is right- its time the youths in the VI know the truth!
  • well well well (09/07/2020, 21:26) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    this shows mr. sc true colours. get rid of the past and the future remains good. well sa'h..you may be able to get rid of your wrong doings sir but history is there to make us all more aware and much stronger human beings. getting rid of names doesnt xhange the past...you only wish you could close your wyes and yours goes away. justice is comming.
  • lodger (09/07/2020, 22:07) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    So does he want Drakes Traders to go out of business, orjust change their name?
  • LIVING A LIE (09/07/2020, 22:23) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    The worst thing you can do to an enslaved mind is to highlight the fact that we are living a lie. You pull the stool from under them they don't have a leg to stand on and consequently react with hatred and negativity. What was the channel called before the arrival of the Europeans. The slave master seh suh an ah suh e fe guh. While we are at it the Jesus that is being worshiped is supposedly descended from Adam who is myth. We need to get rid of all the bullshit... that's the only way we can have vision. Hold on to the mess and continue to be sounding cymbals living a lie.
  • Name Name (09/07/2020, 23:15) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Claude Ottley Skelton Cline, are these considered slave masters names? Maybe we need to attach the relevant information to them and let it be known. We certainly don't want to forget them.
  • Big Slick Willie (10/07/2020, 00:10) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    And this idiot just loves jumping on the bandwagon.
  • Eagle Eye (10/07/2020, 00:49) Like (4) Dislike (8) Reply
    Time to banish the whiteman bible and religion to
    • tretretrete (10/07/2020, 07:34) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      How could it be a white man Bible when the same white man was burning people at the stake for having one. The black man was inspired to fight for freedom while reading the Bible
    • Miko (11/07/2020, 21:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You just trolling arent you
  • Yes (10/07/2020, 02:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    rise up rise up rise up for the name
  • renamerer (10/07/2020, 07:49) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    Bout time.

    We need to rename everything else as well. Jost, Peter, Bellamy, Gorda, Spanish Town, Smuggler's. They should all be woked up and named after indiginus virgin islanders. How about change Jost to Eileen van Parsons? ONe cultural icon meets another.
  • speak out (10/07/2020, 08:03) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    AGREEEE " I MILLION %" LETS CHANGE THE CHANNEL NAME AS WELL TO BVI MEN OR WOMEN WHO PLY THIS ROUTE IN THE OLDEN DAYS . BVI MERCHANT ETC.
    • mad max (10/07/2020, 10:32) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Maybe change to one of the recent local pirates/drug smugglers - Smith, Frett, Simon, Browne, Alleyne ..
  • Lily Ann (10/07/2020, 08:26) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Claude ALWAYS gotta start something so that yall can pick It up and run with it. YAll don’t have a brain of yall own????
  • Whig (10/07/2020, 08:53) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Let's start with the whig that the speaker wears. Lead by example.
  • NEW NAME (10/07/2020, 09:00) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Claude Skeleton Channel
  • cgb (10/07/2020, 09:12) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Change the name if you will but dont change it to honour some politician. Too many places here named for little known political stalwarts, not heroes. Can we please name things after Nature's Little Secrets: Green Turtle, White Cedar, frigate bird, mongoose etc they type of names are more memorable to the average person (the Cyril B Romney Pier Park has no recognition). This naming for political people just another form of corruption.
    • mad max (10/07/2020, 10:34) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Ah - but who named the animals? The White Man! Name them after African words, much more authentic. In fact, perhaps we should all change the official language from the White Mans language to something more authentic ...
  • Windy (10/07/2020, 10:51) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Just think of it ! if Sir Francis Drake wasn't a slave trader we might not have to put up with Claude !!!!!
  • @mad max (10/07/2020, 12:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    And which is the authentic language you speak, and which would you recommend? The great Chinua Achebe defended his decision to write in English by saying that he did so because it was the language most widely understood in Nigeria. While we may lament how that got to be so, we cannot deny that it is so.

    Along with many other parts of the world, we share an unfortunate and often destructive history of colonialism. I agree that we need to recognise our own heroes but, if we take away the story of Ken Bates, we take away the importance of what Noel Lloyd did. Heroes are heroes because of what they dare to say and do in the context of their own time and space. We can't/shouldn't seek to wipe out the names of those who did us wrong; instead, we need to tell our own story and help our children to understand why and how the events of history happened, how we overcame/are overcoming, and what needs to happen so that history does not repeat itself, even in subtle ways.
    • mad max (10/07/2020, 14:32) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Yep - I wasn't being serious. My point was, how far will we go to get rid of the "shadow of colonialism".

      We are much better to leave the past alone and recognise the lessons learnt for the future.
  • A (10/07/2020, 13:12) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    I guess if u guys do some traveling u all will see what life is all about
  • NezRez (10/07/2020, 15:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Leave him in the history books telling what he really was, but don’t name a street after him as though he was a hero. Public places should only be named after people who helped improve our islands through respect and honesty. All other names who were crooks, pirates, thieves, rapists, racists, murderers etc, do not deserve to have their names placed in public places, making people think they were hero’s.
    • Hmm (11/07/2020, 22:57) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I am with you on this one we can go do even better now and not name anything after our politicians.
  • Blooper (10/07/2020, 16:20) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    You don't banish him from the history book. It should be known for the part he played in enslaving black people so that no institution, place or thing can be named after him. History must always be written so that people can learn from it, not white washed or black washed. The problem is very little of black history was recorded and is available to the general public so we cannot learn from it, instead we embrace white history a s the gospel of civilization.
  • R (10/07/2020, 16:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr Cline don't worry what they have to say their CD player stop playing on deport island people say what you have to say because thay don't know the meaning of the word territory
  • Patriot bvi (10/07/2020, 17:33) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply

    Cline is so r**** for so call man of God. So does read the part in the bible about forgiveness.

  • Surnames (10/07/2020, 18:42) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Some should probably think about changing their surnames since they were named for their slave owners.
  • Thomas Famous (11/07/2020, 14:06) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Am I really reading people saying that we should keep the names of Pirates as some sort of heroes?

    They are no heroe in any way. Those three women who started the "Fireburn" are heroines. Those who stood up to the bs they were trying in Wickhams Cay in the 1950s are heroes

    "Emancipate your minds from mental slavery" my VI People.
    • please (11/07/2020, 22:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Jump off the band wagon, more important things to contemplate now. Them people dead for hundreds of years, and iare barely remembered to pass an exam.
  • Sole (11/07/2020, 22:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Take Christopher Columbus the murderer out as well.
  • okay (11/07/2020, 22:49) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Then we should rename these beautiful islands, was it not Columbus, the liar, thief, and scamp that opened up the door for slavery, that named this place the Virgin Islands. Lastly, was this an original thought that came to you, or was it those high school kids in America that gave you this fine idea. Please Stop Mr. Skelton I guarantee you that Sir Francis Drake is the last thing on my mind when I trying to go somewhere.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.