'We can't fish in our own waters?'- Skelton-Cline on the Stoutt's arrest
Reports reaching our News Centre indicate that the Stoutts were charged with two counts of using a prohibited method of fishing.
Question VI's laws
During his programme on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Skelton-Cline questioned the fairness of the justice system, “Should we be enforcing an unjust and unreasonable piece of law against our own people?”
The social commentator emphasised that these individuals are simply trying to make a living and pointed out that certain laws are simply unfair and do not make sense.
According to reports, the Stoutts were allegedly diving for ghost traps in the waters off Great Thatch when they were approached by Marine Police. They were granted station bail of $1,500 each and are scheduled to appear in Magistrate’s Court on May 7, 2026.
'We can't fish in our own waters'-Skelton-Cline
Skelton-Cline reflected on the challenges faced by the community, saying, “The things we put our own people through, from the financial services, from the banking to open an account, to fishing. We can't fish in our own waters. sitting in a hole for five, six, or seven hours. You think that's just, be harassed through a court, get lawyers, spend money, and those of you who work in the system, how can we do this to each other?”
The arrest of the Stoutts has reportedly upset many in the community and has sparked renewed debate about spearfishing and the use of scuba diving equipment for fishing.
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18 Responses to “'We can't fish in our own waters?'- Skelton-Cline on the Stoutt's arrest”
Righteous judgment against others are not void of evidential proof.
Mr. Claude Skelton Cline, give your mouth some rest, please.
Maybe they should of gone stealing , or selling illegal drugs.
Nonsense, leave the men alone.
Public discussion about whether particular laws remain fit for purpose is always welcome. But framing the issue as if Virgin Islanders are being denied the right to fish in their own waters is misleading and unhelpful. It converts a straightforward enforcement matter into a grievance narrative, and that does nothing to advance the sector or improve the legislation.
If the existing laws require adjustment, that is a matter for the Legislature. The process is clear: propose amendments, consult stakeholders, and update the statute. What we cannot do is undermine the rule of law by suggesting that enforcement is inherently unjust simply because the individuals involved are popular or because the law is inconvenient.
The community deserves accuracy, not theatrics. The persons involved here, like anyone else, are entitled to due process. But due process begins with respecting the law as written, not reshaping it in the court of public opinion to suit a narrative.
And while we are speaking about laws, do we have traffic police anymore? I ask simply because I see people breaking the law consistently with regards to parking and no entering signs, daily in fact, and nobody is there to do anything about it. Sometimes they are impeding traffic and do not care because not a traffic cop in sight.