Host of Honestly Speaking, Claude O. Skelton-Cline has said Virgin Islanders are natural owners, as it makes up their DNA, but that ownership is being given away. Photo: Facebook

Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline said ownership of land, ownership of industry, ownership of business, and ownership in the marketplace are natural to Virgin Islanders. Photo: Internet Source

During the last airing of his show on July 28, 2026, Skelton-Cline hit hard at multinational corporations being allowed to monopolise the market in the Virgin Islands (VI) without legislative restrictions or guidelines by which they operate. This, he explained, hurt the native businesses, particularly the small businesses. 

The VI, Pastor Skelton-Cline said, is built on locals being owners. 

“This country, in the DNA of Virgin Islanders, we are owners. We don’t like to be workers for nobody else. We will work, don’t get it twisted, but a part of our DNA is ownership. Ownership of land, ownership of industry, ownership of business, ownership in the marketplace. We are owners.”

He said this is being given away by allowing multinational corporations to come in, unabated by legislation, and “cannibalising the market” and putting small businesses out of business. 

“That’s how economies run: on small business, even in the so-called America and the United Kingdom.”

We’re being taken advantage of

Skelton-Cline warned to be careful not to hitch your future on the wrong horse. 

“We let too many things slide and go in this country, and we’re being taken advantage of, and some of us are so naive, we don’t even know we’re being raped; we don’t even know that we’re being economically molested. We don’t even know that we’re being taken advantage of.”

He added that some know something is wrong but are unable to point out exactly what it is. He said that is why he is trying to point these social ills out.