Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Hon Penn ready for elections but can’t get own party’s support- Skelton-Cline

Hon Penn ready for elections but can’t get own party’s support- Skelton-Cline

Opposition Leader and Member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) has been telling the public that he is ready to be Premier and ready for any snap elections; however, commentator Claude O. Skelton-Cline has since exposed Hon Penn as speaking empty words.

According to Skelton-Cline on his Honestly Speaking show on ZBVI 780 AM on January 25, 2022, he is not even sure who Honourable Penn is leading in the post of Opposition Leader.

A leader without followers?


“Honourable Mark Vanterpool has said he is not coming back so he is not leading him. Honourable Alvera Maduro-Caines was sitting next to him and she got up and went to the other side, so he is not leading her.”

Skelton-Cline continued that Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) is with Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) and Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) is with Progressives United (PU), so Hon Penn is also not leading them.

“So as far as leadership of the Opposition, I am not sure who Honourable Penn is leading, other than the fact that he is holding the post of what they refer to as Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.

Mr Skelton-Cline said he often makes the point in preaching that not because someone is in front means they are leading and not because they have a title they are leading.

Hon Penn not even NDP Chairman/President


He said the last person that held the post of NDP chairman was Myron V. Walwyn who was defeated in the last general election and did the “respectable thing” and resigned from the post.

The commentator disclosed also that he has been reliably informed by a chartered member of the NDP that there has been no official meeting to in fact confer upon Honourable Penn the Chairmanship/President of the NDP.

“So I am not sure who is leading in that space.”

Hon Penn ready for snap elections?


Skelton-Cline said he, therefore, found it curious to hear that Honourable Penn said he will be ready if a snap election is called.

He also said he is aware that the rank and file of the NDP has been trying desperately to “pull the fragmented pieces of the NDP together”; however, it appears this has not “been going too far.”

Skelton-Cline noted that Hon Penn appears to be the default person to lead the NDP but there seems to be some “turbulence” and added that it underscores the point that leadership is important.

Further, he said he would be curious to know if Mr Walwyn returns with the NDP.

Skelton-Penn said he hopes to see Hon Penn emerge as the leader of the NDP but he will have his hands full and “fuller” if he is to face an Andrew A. Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party (VIP) in an election in a time when the territory is at a crossroad.

“It’s going to be interesting to see and hear who the people will call for in an hour such as this,” Hon Penn stated.

No elections before CoI Report- Premier


Meanwhile, Premier Fahie has stated there will be no elections before the final report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) is presented. The final report of the CoI is due by April 2022.

Elections in the VI is constitutionally due by June 2023.

According to commentator Claude O. Skelton-Cline, on his Honestly Speaking radio show on ZBVI 780 AM on January 25, 2022, he is not even sure who Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) is leading in the post of Opposition Leader.


The last person to hold the post of NDP chairman was Myron V. Walwyn, who was defeated in the last general election and subsequently resigned from the post.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×