Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

‘If the NDP is dead, lets funeralise it’ - Skelton-Cline

Honestly Speaking radio show moderator, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has urged Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn to make official the death of the National Democratic Party (NDP) instead of constantly complaining across the media and in press conferences.

“If you all are leaders, this is a time to show your leadership skill… you don’t come on and whine all the time about… Unless we are going to funeralise the National Democratic Party Government, the Leader of the Opposition and his party if you want to lead, show your prowess,” Skelton-Cline said on the Tuesday, January 28, 2020, edition of his radio show.


Stop Complaining – Skelton-Cline

In a direct appeal to Hon Penn, the man of the cloth urged the NDP, “Say we are coming back, say yes we have a misstep here… we are alive and well, but short of that, we have to assume the thing is dead,” he said.

On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, Hon Penn said he was ‘truly disappointed’ that Sixth District Representative, Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines had crossed the floor to join the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government, led by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie without first consulting the NDP.

"This decision [has] come out of deep thoughts and prayers over a prolonged period. I have not been made any promises or offers... nor have I asked for any. I simply want which is best for our Territory and I believe that what is best for the BVI at this time, is for all patriotic Virgin Islanders to be working together," Hon Maduro-Caines said as part of her Monday, January 20, 2020, announcement to abandon the NDP.

Since then, the Opposition led by Hon Penn has launched a vicious tirade of criticisms against the government, starting at a press conference the following day where the Opposition Leader was quick to tell the media that he had ‘moved on’ from Hon Maduro-Caines.

Other Opposition Members, including Hon Julian Fraser RA and Hon Melvin M. Turnbull; however, shared a difference in opinion, noting that some discussion ahead of the exit would have sufficed.

Hon Penn, through his statement and reaction, had subtly confirmed the suspicion that the NDP was caught off-guard regarding Mrs Maduro-Caines’ choice to exit the party; a decision that may have shaken and weakened the core of the NDP.


‘Let’s set a date for the funeral’ – Skelton-Cline

“If it [NDP] is dead, let's funeralise it, let’s set a date for the funeral… then let some viable party come up because in any democracy you’re going to need a strong viable second or [a] third party, that’s who is going to make us strong, that’s what democracy is all about,” Mr Skelton-Cline said.

He said, therefore, the Opposition complaining at press conferences and in the media and even making a promise to go back into the past to investigate NDP spending is not the easy forward but rather the focus should be on the future.

“Brexit is happening, financial services, economic substance, there are so many big-ticket items that we need to be concerned about and yet are expending so much effort and energies… fighting each other when the fight is not amongst each other,” he said.

‘We deserve better,’ of the Opposition, Skelton-Cline told his listening audience, while underscoring that the real fight is with external pressures.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×