Social Commentator and Host of Honestly Speaking, Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline, said lawyers practising Virgin Islands (VI) law outside the VI are another source of revenue loss for the local economy. Photo: Internet Source

Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline said attorneys were allowed to practice law from outside the jurisdiction during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the time the intended outcome was clear. He questioned what the benefits to the Virgin Islands are now. Photo: Internet Source

Claude O. Skelton-Cline during the October 6, 2026, airing of his show Honestly Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM. Photo: Facebook

“You can live in Cayman, you can live in Hong Kong, you can live anywhere in the world and practice Virgin Islands law. That’s a problem,” Pastor Skelton-Cline said on the October 6, 2026, airing of his show titled 'The Virgin Islands is not for sale’. 

He said some may argue this was done on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the intended outcome was clear; however, the question now is how this arrangement benefits the VI.

VI gets no SS, payroll taxes, etc

“How many of these lawyers are practising law outside of the Virgin Islands? We ain’t getting no social security, we ain’t getting no payroll taxes, we ain’t getting no NHI, we ain’t getting no houses leased or rented, we ain’t getting no food bought from the supermarket, we ain’t getting no cars bought, we ain’t getting no cars rented.”

Mr Skelton-Cline said the economy is leaking money, adding that this is one area that needs to be “reeled back in”.

Multinational corporations need to give up more

“You want to practise Virgin Islands law? Practise it in the Virgin Islands. Let the Virgin Islands receive its full benefit. Brothers and sisters, we have to be concerned about our own borders, our own economy, and how we can keep the money that is made in this economy turned over six to seven times in this economy.”

He said some may say these are tough decisions to make, but that’s where leadership comes in. 

“If I were to become a part of a team, these are some of the kinds of things that I am going to champion, that I am going to push. These are the kinds of things that must be in tandem with our Sovereignty Wealth Fund.”

Pastor Skelton-Cline said the multinational corporations that make billions of dollars and contribute to the global GDP with trillions of dollars would have to give up more for the development of the VI and its people. 

“The economy is leaking money, and we have to stop [it].”