Host of Honestly Speaking, Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline has called on the relevant authorities to recruit a Virgin Islander living overseas to be the next Financial Secretary (FS). Photo: Facebook

Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline said Financial Secretary, Jeremiah G.A. Frett, will retire by year’s end, althouth Mr Frett has not confirmed his retirement. Photo: GIS

During the last airing of his show titled ‘State of Emergency Part 2 ’ on September 1, 2026, Skelton-Cline said the current FS, Jeremiah G.A. Frett, will retire by year’s end. 

The VI, he said, needs to “headhunt” for the best Financial Secretary, and that person needs to be “some Virgin Islander that lives across this globe”.

Skelton-Cline said that person should be recruited and paid properly to take up the mantle. 

“The complement of persons we have there currently: they are our brothers and sisters; they are fine, but they do not meet the moment.”

The FS is responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the Ministry of Finance to maintain the efficient delivery of services across the departments under the ministry’s portfolio.

Critical that VI gets the best FS

Skelton-Cline explained that given the current global climate, market and “tectonic shifts” in every sector, it is critical that the very best is given the position.

The future FS, he said, is a Virgin Islander who just does not live here yet. 

“We need to headhunt; we need to go get them.”

He also said that a lot of Virgin Islanders residing overseas will be looking to move back home, as the VI is positioned in one of the safest places in the world. 

“By safe, I simply mean where there’ll be no bombs or torpedoes going off anywhere… not that we would be exempt from some of the catastrophe and shortage of supply like food and fuel.”

Mr Frett was confirmed as Financial Secretary in July 2022 after having acted in the role since January 2021. There has been no confirmation of Mr Frett’s upcoming retirement.