Skelton-Cline made the comment during his ‘Honestly Speaking radio show, alongside guest and international advisor on governance and United Nations expert Dr Carlyle Corbin on March 29, 2022, on the topic of the VI seeking independence from the UK.

Trust in VI leaders eroded

“The United Kingdom in essence paraded our entire leadership, those who are deceased and those who are alive, across the stage of this CoI exercise and the result of that is that you cannot trust your people, you cannot trust our leadership,” he added.

“For the challenge that politics, independent of that already faced with people confidence and people morale and their hopes and aspiration being lived out through the persons they elected, I think it has done tremendous damage with the parading of our leadership,” he added.

Guest, Dr Corbin suggested that in order for the VI to rebuild confidence in leaders, the people of the VI must first be aware of what administering powers and tools the UK can use to exercise control over the territory and its leaders.

He added; however, that a timetable has been set for the VI to achieve independence but the administering powers are ignoring the mandate.

“Ignoring the mandate without opposition to that allows them to continue to operate in that way and basically ignoring what their requirements are,” he said.

Territories must engage UN - Dr Corbin

Dr Corbin added that it is up to territories to raise their voices and inform the UN of their position on independence and self-advancement.

"Those who are not involved, the UN feel as though well they are not interested, so we won't necessarily do anything with respect to that.

"But it is clear that the engagement of territories at the UN on this issue, among others, is certainly very very useful because it does provide some response," he added.

Dr Carlyle Corbin added that it is up to territories to raise their voices and inform the UN of their position on independence and self-advancement.