'If you not ready for the battlefield, then keep your mouth shut'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
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The march is against the controversial decision to revert Acting Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool to her previous position as Deputy Commissioner of Police and to bring in a white man with a checkered past to temporarily head the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
Sign the petition & join the march
During his radio show, "Honestly Speaking," on ZBVI 780 AM, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, he called on the people of the Virgin Islands to unite and sign the petition that will be presented to the Governor on Friday, following the march.
He also urged organisers to make the petition available online for electronic signatures.
"We need you at the march on Friday, at 3 o'clock, to begin gathering, from the police station to march down to the governor's house to present that petition."
Apply pressure
The commentator emphasised that Virgin Islanders need to apply pressure on the United Kingdom, stating that politicians, including in the United Kingdom, only respond to pressure. "You have to put the pressure on," he said.
Skelton-Cline dismissed the claims of naysayers, arguing that it is essential for Virgin Islanders to participate in the march. He noted that while there is a time for addressing broader issues, the situation concerning Acting Commissioner Vanterpool requires immediate action.
Now is not the time
"I hear some of you saying, well, I didn't see nobody marching when they got the greedy bill. There will be a time and place where we will deal with all the people who put the greedy bill in place. It's gonna happen by 2027. If we don't want them in office no more, there's a time and place to do that. It's not now. The fight now is for us to be in one accord relative to the undemocratic and colonial manner in which the United Kingdom is behaving towards us in the occasion and circumstance of the Acting Commissioner Vanterpool, and some of you are not ready for the battlefield, then keep your mouth shut."
Other concerns are legitimate
The social commentator added that other concerns of Virgin Islanders are valid; however, there is a time and place to act on these concerns. "I know we have concerns, and our concerns on the ground here are legitimate. I know we have concerns with pensioners, [and] I know we have concerns with our senior citizens. Those concerns are legitimate. I know some of us have been victimised by governments, past and present. I know that. I am not delegitimising your concerns. I'm saying your concern is real. I'm saying your concern is legitimate, but I'm also saying there is a time and place for when we will fight that battle. That time and place is not now."
Stand in Solidarity
He further reiterated, "We must stand in solidarity. It is Acting Commissioner today. It is somebody else tomorrow, and somebody else next week. So I'm not dismissing the legitimacy of your concern.
"We will deal with that in-house. There will be a time and place for us to adjudicate that, and according to our system, if no other time, we get an opportunity at least every 4 years. Right now we must extend, expand, and exert all of our energies in sending a clear, uncompromising message to the United Kingdom that what you're doing is wrong. It's undemocratic."
Skelton-Cline stated that the matter surrounding Ms Vanterpool reeks of colonialism, and that though the Constitution gives him certain authority, it is an authority that he ought not exercise in this 21st century.
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8 Responses to “'If you not ready for the battlefield, then keep your mouth shut'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
If the people of the VI join the march it is likely to turn and go in the other direction to the HOA where the HOA13 should be attending to the needs of the people and getting the country fixed, getting their salaries and pensions back in line, removing posters of convicted criminals from the walls and doing their jobs.
Jacqui is back doing her job on November 18 maybe they can start doing theirs.
we have host of serious issues where we should of marched for against our leaders
but here we gathering for this one thing. Not that is bad but this time and energy could of been used for so many other issues we got going on
and our polticians gonna jump on this only to push their agenda and narrative on independance and uk propaganda they dont care about the issue with jackie cuz they was aware of it long before the public and they kept quiet and agreed with the governor
governor you made a bad move hitting this ants nest cuz whatever good intentions you and Uk may have to improving and progressing this country and detering bad political schemes and practicies will now be viewed in a negative light by the more people now. if the uk has a solid reason for this step i hope it comes to light so the politicians dont get any more fuel or support for their own agenda
we should of marched for all the following reasons:
Greedy Bill
Politicians pay raise doubled
Bank of asia
SSB HOMES
PIER PARK SCANDAL
BI WATER SCANDAL
BVI AIRWAYS SCANDAL
ESHS WALL (KINDA)
COVID GRANTS
SCHOLARSHIPS TO FAKE STUDENTS
BAD ROADS
BAD INFASTRUCTURE
SEWAGE RUNNING INTO THE STREETS
NO PRICE CONTROLLLLL
MINIMUM WAGE
ESHS BUILDING ISSUES
MOLD IN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
2017 GOVERNMENT COMPLEX STILL NOT FINISHED
PUBLIC HOSPITAL RATIONING SUPPLIES ANDB BOARD MEMBERS CUTTING WORKERS PAY TO RAISE THERE OWN
CLINIC IN VG CLOSED AND CAUSE SOMEONES DEATH
NON STOP PARTIES BUT NTN FOR IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AND LIFE HERE
NO RUNNING WATER AFTER 6PM
BVIEC POWER KEEP GOING
THE BANK INTEREST RATES HIGHEST IN THE CARIBBEAN
ETC ETC ETC ALL THESE THINGS WARRANTED A MARCH AND DETER THE BAD MOVES AND SCHEMES BUT NO ONE CAME FORWARD. so imagine when they get independence..... they alrdy got away with all of this and not one action from their local people.....so imagineeeeeeee what they will do once they get full control!
yes the governor did nonsense here but dont let this blind you from what our leader been doing to us for donkey years
the coi failed the people.. it only brought to light the dirty nonsense that been going on but no one was held accountable or paid the price. no tax money returned from all the scandals and schemes smhh