‘This is not the time for novice leadership’- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
Speaking on his programme on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Skelton-Cline stated, “Given what's happening on the geopolitical scene, what's happening locally, this is not the time for novice leadership.”
The Virgin Islands' general elections are constitutionally due in 2027, and since then, several individuals and political parties have announced their intention to run for office.
No new novices
Skelton-Cline said, “We do not need any new novices to get leadership to this country right through here. This is not the time for people who think it's their turn.”
He emphasised that the world is facing a crisis and that the Virgin Islands will not be immune. Therefore, it is essential to have experienced individuals with courage and wisdom to lead the country.
“We need some seasoned persons. We need some people of courage and wisdom. Information is not wisdom. Who has the wherewithal, the capacity, the breadth, the depth in which to navigate this country right through here,” he emphasised.
Candidates must 'understand how to run a successful company'
The social commentator also said that candidates who understand how to run a successful business are vital for proper governance.
“We need persons who know what it is to run a successful company. People who know how to pay NHI, Social Security, who have monthly overheads and payroll and services 15 to 20 families, people who know how to deal with suppliers, and credit agencies, and bank people who understand business, and its production, we need people right through here with weight.”
He further emphasised, “This is not the time for novices. I'm telling you, as I've told you in private, this is not the time for people to be guessing about what they should know. We need real leadership.”
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17 Responses to “‘This is not the time for novice leadership’- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
Apart from Ronnie all 12 useless politicians must go- what is this sca***r wanting now?
This man is only concerned about lining his pockets.
The top dog in an organization, corporation, agency, government entity, etc, sits atop the apex of the governing triangle with ultimate responsible and accountability for leading the entity towards accomplishing its vision and mission. The top leaders primary responsibility is not necessarily about technical skill prowess. Their role and responsibility are to get things done in a timely manner with efficacy. A leader must evaluate the political, economic, social, etc conditions of an organization and develop strategies, tactics, etc, to set and guide the organization effectively towards its destination. To execute responsibilities effectively, a leader must have vision, demonstrate a positive attitude, demonstrate interactive people skills, be energetic, mentally tough and fair, be confident, reliable, set exemplary personal example/behsvior . Moreover, leadership is more about behavior and less about technical skills. What a leader writes or says is not as important as consistent behavior. Furthermore, words in action are more powerful than nice words on paper or in a speech.
Moreover, I take a different view from Mr. Claude Skelton -Cline on the issue of business management being a precursor to seeking positions of increasing responsibility in the public sector. IMO, government cannot operate in a wholesale manner similar to running a business. Businesses can target the customers they want to serve. Conversely, government does not have this luxury or option. Government has to serve the whole community.It must manage available budgetary resources with effectiveness, efficiency, and fairness, delivering the best/most services to the most people.