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Premier ‘should not’ go to UK without public previewing CoI Report- Skelton-Cline

- calls on people of VI to demand Report be made public
ZBVI 780am radio talk show host, Claude O. Skelton-Cline, says Premier Andrew A. Fahie should not travel to the UK on the CoI report before the report is made public in the VI. Photo: VINO/File
Skelton-Cline said his calls for the Premier Andrew A. Fahie to reject the Governor’s timeline is one that comes in his capacity as a private citizen of the VI. Photo: VINO/File
Skelton-Cline said his calls for the Premier Andrew A. Fahie to reject the Governor’s timeline is one that comes in his capacity as a private citizen of the VI. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI– United Kingdom (UK) appointed Governor John J. Rankin, CMG is facing more pressure to make public the Virgin Islands (VI) Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report ahead of any UK diplomatic meeting with VI's elected leaders.

The calls come following the release of a publication timeline for the Report, where the Governor dictates the timeline of events surrounding the Report before the public can see its contents.

Governor release timeline 

The Governor’s Office, in its timeline published April 21, 2022, said the report will first be shared with the Premier and political party leaders in the House of Assembly (HoA), ahead of a meeting with those same parties and UK Ministers.

The Premier and political party leaders will then discuss the report with UK Ministers and the Governor in the UK, before the report is published.

However, according to ZBVI 780 AM radio talk show host, Claude O. Skelton-Cline, the publication timeline is not ideal given the people of the VI will be excluded from the process.

“We cannot allow our Premier and Premier should not… go to the UK for any discussion unless the people of this country is first preview to the content of that report,” he said on the Honestly Speaking radio show on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

Public should see report before VI delegation heads to UK- Skelton-Cline

“The Premier must not, should not, and cannot agree to anything with the UK without the purview, without the import of the people of this country,” Skelton-Cline added.

Ever since the final CoI Report was handed over to Governor Rankin on April 5, 2022, calls have been mounting for the Report to be made public just as the CoI was conducted in public.

Skelton-Cline said his calls for the Premier to reject the Governor’s timeline is one that comes in his capacity as a private citizen of the VI. 

“I do know these men personally, so I suspect that they won’t [agree to timeline] in the first place, but I need to say it for us to hear,” he added.

Opposition calls for public report 

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), during a press conference on April 12, 2022, noted that he had called for the report to be made public.

“I believe the people need to see that report, it needs to be forthcoming to the people of this territory and as well as the leaders of this country,” he said.

Skelton-Cline added, “whatever this is, we must do it together,” he said in reiterating calls for the public to be made preview to the contents of the CoI report before any discussion is made with the UK.

19 Responses to “Premier ‘should not’ go to UK without public previewing CoI Report- Skelton-Cline”

  • 999 (22/04/2022, 10:53) Like (10) Dislike (8) Reply
    there is nothing much the people can do against what maybe written in the report

    if the process leading up to this report was public knowledge what is the great Secret now

  • lodger (22/04/2022, 10:53) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is he practising for being governor, or governor-general, or premier, what ever they call the post, when he gets his independence?
  • agreed (22/04/2022, 11:19) Like (1) Dislike (20) Reply
    For us & our generations
    He’s right
    And we the people of this country needs to know what’s brewing for our future...
  • Hush up ! (22/04/2022, 11:26) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    The unconventional government leader took flambeau and asked the previous governor for it .
    Bear the consequences. He has a right to do what is in the best interest of the people of the BVI
    Where were you when the Premier called for it . Let the course be taken . Take your time Governor
  • josiah'sbay (22/04/2022, 11:38) Like (5) Dislike (20) Reply
    Mr. Cline is absolutely correct in his position. For the Premier to go to the UK and discuss the issues and recommendations with out the people of the VI being privy to them would be a travesty of justice and a lack of respect for the people of this territory. It's ironic that the UK who is in agreement with the self-determination mandate would use colonial tactics to thwart that endeavor.
  • Leak (22/04/2022, 11:56) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    It will leak within a week
  • @ U ALL (22/04/2022, 12:19) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    WHO IS REALLY RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT Q ❓
  • trevor (22/04/2022, 15:26) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    But you and the Premiere can spend monies without the public knowledge right?
  • spit in deh sky fall in yo eye (22/04/2022, 15:43) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    when he were carrying news to the said governor he didnt realize the outcome
  • Slip slide (22/04/2022, 15:53) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    This dude scared?
  • The System backwards. (22/04/2022, 16:15) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Where is the fundamental rule of people first, or that saying of people first coming from politicians are convenient and nice to the Ears but in reality, we the people are not recognized, we the people come last, we the people only matter during an election cycle ...Look how they are ignoring the people with this report. We need to see it now. Give us some respect...
  • Stealth (22/04/2022, 16:56) Like (0) Dislike (9) Reply
    The hand-picked sole commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom CoI was conducted in public and in the sunshine. CoI conducted in public, the findings and recommendations should be immediately release to the public. Was the public hearings for the public good or nefarious reasons, ie, to publicly embarrass national leaders? Was the fix on? Was the report basically written before it started? The BVI is a constitutional/representative democracy so the people must be informed, engaged and in the loop.
  • Simply don’t care (22/04/2022, 17:40) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is what it is. We call this on ourselves. Whatever the outcome is, take your punishment like a man and move on.
  • LET THIS BE A LESSON (22/04/2022, 21:32) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    ALWAYS THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE YOU STICK YOUR HAND IN PANDORAS BOX.
  • BOTTOM LINE (22/04/2022, 23:17) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The UK run things
  • Damm right (23/04/2022, 04:31) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    I agree with Claude the people must be in the loop
  • 1st district original (23/04/2022, 10:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let them ALL go including CSC and remain over there!
  • Quick Question (23/04/2022, 10:28) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    And who is responsible for the s..t that we are in. When you carry news on others to make yourself look good, it always backfire.


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