'I will never be in favour' of HoA handing powers back to Governor- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
The Public Service Management Bill, 2024, was brought to the House of Assembly by the Premier on behalf of the Deputy Governor’s Office in August 2024.
The Bill, according to the government, represents a significant step forward in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service sector through the modernisation and streamlining of public service management, ensuring that government ministries and departments are optimised to serve the needs of the Virgin Islands community effectively.
UK offered a document that was 'empowering'
Skelton-Cline, on his weekly Honestly Speaking show aired Tuesday, September 2, 2025, on ZBVI 780 AM and livestreamed on Facebook, stated that the bill, which was brought before the House on behalf of the United Kingdom, indicated that the Office of the Governor is simply responsible for terms and conditions.
Skelton-Cline stated, "The UK agreed that since the Deputy Governor, according to our constitution, always has to be a Virgin Islander, that these functions will be officially crystallised in law, where whoever the occupant of that office is, is given oversight to carry out the duties of ensuring an effective, efficient public service."
According to the government, the Public Service Management Bill seeks to improve the management and operational efficiency of public service institutions, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of our citizens. In addition, it aims to define the roles and responsibilities of ministers and other senior public officers more clearly, including their capacity to delegate functions and manage ministerial staff effectively.
Skelton-Cline, however, stated that, "What the governor brought forth is a good piece of document in this case, the UK offered a good piece of document that was empowering officially and ultimately hopefully in law the Office of the Deputy Governor."
HoA 'handed back' powers to Governor!
He added, "The House of Assembly handed back to the Office of the Governor basically every functions that this Governor and all Deputy Governors were carrying out in the Office of the Deputy Governor, relative to our public service, for which I will never be in favour, [handed] back power to the UK via the Deputy Governor's Office in law. In other words, the very bill that the Deputy Governor brought on behalf of the United Kingdom that was going to empower the Deputy Governor, the local person, this government, handed it right back and more to the Governor.’’
Skelton-Cline further stated, "So now the governor is now responsible not only for terms and conditions, according to the Constitution, but the Office of the Governor is now responsible in law for the public service, for performances, for supervision, something that we had in practice."
The clergyman had previously blasted Deputy Premier Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) for supporting the bill, which was passed in the House of Assembly with amendments on August 29, 2024. It was assented to by the Governor in November 2024 and came into force on January 1, 2025.
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13 Responses to “'I will never be in favour' of HoA handing powers back to Governor- Claude O. Skelton-Cline ”
He ain’t tired of causing division among the people? Whether it be expats against locals or locals against UK.
This man always causing divisions.