Despite the complaints, ‘you are living your best life’ in VI- Claude O. Skelton-Cline




Mr Skelton-Cline made this bold statement on his radio show ‘Honestly Speaking’ on ZBVI 780 AM on July 1, 2025.
“Anyone who has made the Virgin Islands their home is living their best lives now. If you have made the Virgin Islands your home, you are living your best life—expats: your best life; Belongers: your best life; locals: your best life.”
124 nationalities call the VI home
He added that currently, there are 124 nationalities in the VI, all of whom have chosen to make the VI their home.
Pastor Skelton-Cline further chastised them about their criticisms of the Territory.
“I want you with all of the complaining, all of the things that you all say are wrong, all of the paralysis that you may have assessed, that’s being experienced now, all of the potholes, all of the not to par infrastructure: roads, water, sewerage, electricity, telecommunications; all of the things that you believe are not up to par, I am still saying to you, you have chosen the Virgin Islands as your home and the truth is materially, factually, substantively you are living your best life.”
VI is one of the safest places on Earth
Skelton-Cline said that while all expats, whether from the wider Caribbean region or Europe, are loved and welcomed, they are living their best lives in the VI.
“You can call us all kinds of names behind our backs…the truth is, you’re living your best life right now. You’re making more money than you used to work wherever you were, you’re living in better homes than wherever you came from…you have never been safer, the Virgin Islands is one of the safest places in the Earth, you can walk all across the street all hours of the morning, in defense of the Virgin Islands you’re living your best life.”
The US dollar helps expats’ families back home
“A segment of our population makes per annum salaries, compensation at such an elevated, such a high level that it makes us one of the richest peoples in the Earth, skewed I might add, but because of what this country offers, one of the main pillars through financial services, second through the tourism product. Stable governments, law-abiding citizens, where the rule of law is still the rule of law, has afforded every resident in this country, not just the opportunity but the realisation of living their best life.”
Skelton-Cline went further, saying that residents who come from other places in the region can provide for their families back home from the US dollars earned. Belongers, he continued, are able to buy land and open businesses, while locals or indigenous Virgin Islanders have opportunities to work for the government and still hold second and third jobs or even become entrepreneurs.
“In defence of the Virgin Islands, in spite of all the things that we complain about, sometimes legitimately; yet I’m saying on the flip side of that coin is that you are living your best life now, here, in this place.”


29 Responses to “Despite the complaints, ‘you are living your best life’ in VI- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
Speak for yourself sir!! Not everyone who made the Virgin Islands their home is living their best life. There are people who have been exploited and taken advantage of, including by talk show hosts.
That is why Cline, it appears is trying to allow the people to accept mediocre and government lack of vision and investment in the water, electrcity,5G, infrastructure development, bad roads, outdated laws, These are basic human rights of any citizens and any government should at least had basic maintenance systems in place to deal with them but Cline is suggesting that the BVI is safe, so don't worry about the government not providing your basic needs. After all, some years ago he got a fat contract for not doing nothing and no one was held accountable.
But The Universe all has a way of humbling the proud.
I'll keep that in mind Mr Cline when i am filling my buckets of water everyday before 6pm.
I'll have to remember your words when power cut off again or when i drop in a pot hole or when i take a loan with 30% interest rates or when i look for a new apartment start from 1500+ on my $7.50 wages or when i pay my $300 dollar grocery bill with product price increasing every week.
I am living the dream fr , gosh im so dumb for not noticing!