'We need leadership that loves its people'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline
This is according to former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline, who was at the time a guest of the television talk show Vigilate Dialogues on CBN Channel 51 on May 22, 2017.
We have surrendered our courage
According to Mr Skelton-Cline, a former political candidate with the National Democratic Party (NDP), Virgin Islanders have lost their rights in their own country because of poor leadership and it is time the populace demand better.
“We have surrendered our courage. We have surrendered our rights and our people are suffering and I think it is time we all arise and command something different.”
The guests of the show, which included Managing Director of Relyon Media Group and former political candidate with the People’s Progressive Alliance, Mr Elton Callwood and host of the show, Shaina M. Smith, discussed a variety of issues, including good governance, immigration reform, leadership and employment.
Decade old unemployment problem remains
According to Ms Smith, a former political candidate with the People’s Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Party respectively, unemployment remains a problem in the Virgin Islands as nothing has been done to adequately address the issue for the past decade.
“It concerns me where we have been holding the same percentage of unemployment now for years. It has to be close to a decade and we hear people, especially our young people talking all the time about the fact that they cannot find jobs, not the ones that might be unemployable for different reason but actually finding a job that they are qualified for and can get gainful employment in the country.”
This drew a response from Mr.Callwood, who commented that “a lot of them are basically a product of a failed education system in a way, in the fact that we do not teach for critical thinking.”
Good Governance & clear vision needed
Meanwhile, according to Ms Smith, good governance “is accountable, transparent, follows the rule of law, is responsive, equitable and inclusive, effective and efficient, participatory…….”
Mr Claude Skelton-Cline, a pastor and community activist, stated that good governance requires good leadership and good leadership is reflected by having a clear vision for where or what someone would like to see happen.
“A vision is a picture of your preferred future and you have to use words to paint a picture, cast that vision to your people, have the people to buy into and/or to add or to edit so that they see themselves in the picture.”
He further explained that he has not heard a clear, strategic, thoughtful, inclusive vision for the BVI.
“Imagine, we are 30 thousand, maybe 33 thousand in population. We are smaller than some of the larger universities in terms of people. They manage those every day and you mean to tell me we can’t manage a simple 2 by 4 country in a more meaningful substantive way,” stated Mr. Cline.
Ms Smith directed the topic to Mr Callwood, who responded that “A clear vision has never been put in place by any political party, past or present…...our leaders need to start listening to us, as the constitution read, it’s us.”
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24 Responses to “'We need leadership that loves its people'- Claude O. Skelton-Cline”
This brother is Narcissitic!!
I agree with musa. He trying to keep relevant. He ain't on the payroll no more so he find the need to run his mouth. We already know he running against the ndp next upcoming election. Another f*ke sn***y pastor. He will never get in
Down islanders hate their houses. Can't visit Rite Way in peace. They loitering outside every business place.
Strupes. Drink their beers and get rowdy. Just tonight I was so pissed off. Go home when you finish work no.
Invite your friends by your house. My poor Tortola. I feel like I am St. Kitts or St. Lucia. In those places
They even loiter outside the court house all day long. Strupes
A member of the panel said something about "Critical Thinking". I understand that to mean looking and thinking of things in a different way; unbiased, without prejudice; without favoring one side or the other; simply analyzing the situation or case.
The fact that Mr. Cline has a case aianst Government, doesn't mean anything other than he feels wronged after doing what he did for the party; feels he gave the job his best; and then gets thrown under the bus so to speak. Real buddies are not treated that way.
Husband and wife fall out at times and end up in court and separation. Friends fall out; siblings fall out; business partners have their differences and fall out; but that does not necessarily mean anything other than seeing things in a different way; from a different point of view and not being ale to agree hence.
In the Bible, Saul was persecuting the Christians; then one day, or night, while on the road to Damascus, was struck by Lightning and immediately had a change of heart and was converted to Christianity; same as the people he was persecuting. Can it be that Claude Skelton was of the same philosophy as the party he ran with, but having spent this contractual time working with them finally was trucked by lightning and now sees then in a different light? is seeing their failures, their lack of leadership, and their Flaws in so many areas?
The NDP government, in their more Virgin days, the days when they were somewhat innocent and perhaps meant well promised us "Government in the sunshine".
Please lets look at the statement that Mr. Cline made in a different way. Lets say that the statement was made by the leader of the United Party; (and we know the way he feels about all the other parties). The current Leader of the opposition made the statement about the NDP not to long ago, that "they are the most corrupt government in the history of the Virgin Islands".
It is interesting to note that he hasn't been sued for making the statement; he hasn't apologized as far as we know; nor has he taken it back. Nor was he called upon to prove it.
During the early 1990s, an up and coming politician referred to a seasoned politician as a "Powerful and corrupt"...and was taken to court by the veteran politician;...and you know what?... The judge agreed...and the rest is istory.
So now we are a simple 2 x 4 country, eh Claude? Well then you always free to go back to Detroit...