Skelton-Cline made the call on the Tuesday, September 21, 2021, edition of his ZBVI 780 AM 'Honestly Speaking' talk show.

Talk Show host and local clergyman, Claude O. Skelton-Cline has called on the Fahie administration to legalize stripping and local underground strip clubs in the Virgin Islands (VI) so the government can begin taxing those businesses.

‘Entertainment spot’ a pseudonym for strip clubs - Skelton-Cline

Following the recent re-opening of bars and entertainment spots, the 'man of the cloth' said he believes ‘entertainment spot’ is being used as a pseudonym for strip clubs; however, the government is not willing to target the issue directly.

“Since strip clubs exist in the country, we need to make strip clubs legal,” he said.

“I don't know how the government on the face can engage strip clubs, continue to hide behind the banana tree [and] use these pseudonyms to speak of these matters?

“You got to make the things legal," he said.

Once legal, the pastor said the clubs would be qualified to pay taxes on revenues, “make them legal and then tax them accordingly.”

Work permits for exotic dancers

To further illustrate his point, Skelton-cline said dancers who come to the territory would no longer have to do so under the guise of bartenders but would come to the VI under their correct profession.

“So, the workers who are coming in, need a permit that says exotic dancers, not you keep complaining that we are letting in 10 people in for bartender.”

According to Skelton-Cline, local strip clubs having had a presence in the VI are neither being subjected to closures from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) nor the local courts.