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Put $$ in budget to build & maintain Official Premier’s Residence— Skelton-Cline

The official residence of the Governor of the Virgin Islands. Commentator Claude O. Skelton-Cline believes the territory's Premier should also have an official residence. Photo: OGHM.org
Veteran commentator Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline is advocating for the Virgin Islands government to allocate funds specifically for the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of an official premier’s residence. Photo: Facebook
Veteran commentator Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline is advocating for the Virgin Islands government to allocate funds specifically for the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of an official premier’s residence. Photo: Facebook
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI— Veteran commentator Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline is advocating for the Virgin Islands government to allocate funds specifically for the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of an official premier’s residence.

He pitched the idea during his May 12, 2025, broadcast of the widely listened-to radio programme, Honestly Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM, as he pointed out what he described as a glaring inconsistency in the public budget.

According to Skelton-Cline, “We need to put in the budget, our annual budget, a design, build, maintenance of a premier house.”

Justifying his position,  he argues, “After all, we support, we fund the Governor's house. I think the only thing we don’t pay for down there is the Governor's salary. I think everything else is in our budget.”

To this end, he questioned the seriousness of the Territory’s commitment to sovereignty and nation-building, querying, “Are we a serious people?

Are we really interested in the sovereignty of this nation? Are we really interested in nation-building? Or are we just interested in waxing eloquent and descending to power for policy?”

‘Institutional Building’

It was during the March 4, 2025, edition of his radio programme Honestly Speaking that Mr Skelton-Cline first called for an official Premier’s Residence.

"We need an official House of the Premier, a living House of the Premier, like you have a governor’s mansion, with all of the accoutrements, all of the space, the kind of place that bespeaks a growing, a developing, a continually emerging country. That’s one of the things that we need to do."

Skelton-Cline also linked his call for an official Premier’s Residence to a broader vision for institutional development, which he argued is crucial in demonstrating to the world at large the Virgin Islands’ readiness for full political and economic independence.

"Since 1950, now in 2025, we should have a proper courthouse, proper houses and systems; This is institutional building," he asserted, further adumbrating, "Proper educational parts, from primary to tertiary education, where you move about in the world virtually, technologically, in the fiscal space that exists—these are the kinds of things that we need to demonstrate to ourselves."

12 Responses to “Put $$ in budget to build & maintain Official Premier’s Residence— Skelton-Cline”

  • WHY? (16/05/2025, 11:49) Like (33) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why do you keep publishing the comments of this guy. He is not an elected official, he is irrelevant and spouts nonsense.
    • Madussa (16/05/2025, 22:27) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      No new projects until the road in Hodges Creek gets finished!!! We all know they went way over budget and don't know what they are doing! We are suffering while driving over Ridge Road, which is breaking down because of all the new traffic. Big potholes that were never there before on the side of the road going from town to the East End, creating another catastrophe. Someone has some answering to do.
  • Just saying (16/05/2025, 11:59) Like (2) Dislike (17) Reply
    They will rather kill the premier over a house but pay for a house for governors!!! set of cockroaches
  • Quietly (16/05/2025, 12:03) Like (99) Dislike (0) Reply
    While I agree we need to have a Premier's residence, this is not the time to spend that money. Any funds available to build anything needs to build a Public Library, finish the Disaster Preparedness Building, finish the Administration Complex and the list goes on. We have not had one Chief Minister/Premier sleep in the House designated for that purpose. So, not necessary, in my opinion, at this time. We have bigger fish to fry these days, A second Administration Complex is overdue right next to the one sitting empty for years as well. Have a wonderful weekend folks!
  • WHAT!!! (16/05/2025, 13:02) Like (36) Dislike (0) Reply
    How about fixing the roads ( especially SCB)
    Water supply, schools , sewerage etc.
  • Really (16/05/2025, 13:12) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is rubbish. All now the current one will move in before the year out in his own.
  • More Nonsense (16/05/2025, 13:38) Like (19) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have no idea why VINO keep reporting on the utter nonsense that CSC keeps spewing out. It’s long overdue for somebody to be honest and say, that nobody cares what he thinks! Most of the politicians are distancing themselves from his opinions, and you guys should do the same!
  • Not saying it's right (16/05/2025, 13:40) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    My distrust of Cline makes me look at this commentary and wonder if he has a lobbying contact with construction firms. I just don't imagine him speaking unless something's in it for him.
  • Madhouse mouse (16/05/2025, 13:59) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    No.
  • Uggggg (16/05/2025, 14:34) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    'rolls eyes' you again?
  • careful (16/05/2025, 14:45) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    You keep putting your head up there you'll grow a hairstyle like Frazier
  • Stealth (16/05/2025, 17:43) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Here is a news flash. I cannot see the Premier and other members appropriating fund to repair the Premier’s residence..Their decision will be self-serving, for all elected members save for the Premier get a $2000 per month housing allowance; the Premier gets a higher allowance. Why do elected members getting a housing allowance when remain where they were living before being elected. I’m not averse to elected members from outlying islands who are serving as ministers and had to move to Town getting a housing allowance. If elected members are getting a housing allowance, why senior civil servants who serve as technical specialists, and experience, and steep in public affairs, etc., not getting a housing allowance. The new PM of Trinidad and Tobago is advocating for taking away housing allowance for elected members. In the VI, allowances and higher than the basic wage for elected members.


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