Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline during Honestly Speaking on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Photo: Facebook

Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline said the Virgin Islands needs a leader who will meet the moment as the territory is facing a global food and energy crisis that is moving towards it quickly. Photo: Internet Source

During his show titled ‘The system is neither just nor good. This is the harsh reality’ on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Skelton-Cline said, “This notion about ‘It is my turn, it is my turn in politics, it’s our turn’. Your turn for what? What do ya’ll think this is?… Because you’re young, it’s your turn? We need persons in this hour who will meet the moment.”

The Virgin Islands, he added, is facing a global energy and food crisis that is moving quickly, while also facing the United Kingdom through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which he described as “an apparatus that is death by bureaucracy”. 

“We need persons in positions of authority who will meet the moment; this is no time for us to be considering anybody that is operating on the notion that it’s their turn.”

You’re not entitled to leadership

These people who are seeking leadership on the notion that it is their turn, he said, are not ready nor are equipped, have not demonstrated nor shown in what ways they are capable of leading and mobilising people, nor have they articulated a vision to the Virgin Islands. 

“You ain’t entitled to leadership, you ain’t entitled to nothing. Where is the demonstration, point to the manifestation of you being in elected office, that justifies why the people of these Virgin Islands should elect you in the House of Assembly?”

Too many people, Skelton-Cline added, are seeking political office just to be seen, for self-advertisement, to beef up their ego and to satisfy their need to be needed. 

Persons should seek leadership to help those whom they want to lead, he said.