He made the remarks during the September 6, 2022, edition of his show on ZBVI 780 AM, while vowing to abandon his support for political parties in the general elections due early 2023.

“I am a former member of the National Democratic Party. I am now a member of the Virgin Islands Party. They happened to be the two major parties of this country in recent history though there are some other parties that exist and have attempted to emerge,” he added.

System has failed people of VI - Skelton-Cline

“The party system in our country has failed the people of the country and while there are wonderful people in both parties, the party as a system has failed the people of these Virgin Islands,” he reiterated.

Skelton-Cline said Virgin Islanders ought to take a better look at the people they elect on an individual basis, rather than having loyalty to a particular political party.

“I truly believe that in this era, at this particular point in the journey of Virgin Islanders… It is a time for us to give an inquisitive look at each individual and choose from amongst us 13 persons who are well able [and] capable of giving leadership to this country,” he added.

He called on the voting public to not get ‘hung up’ on the party system and show loyalty as the local political parties in the VI have little differences among them.

4 Parties contested 2019 elections

In the last elections in the VI, the parties that contested included the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), The National Democratic Party (NDP), Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), and Progressives United (PU).

Skelton Cline added, “The party system, be it NDP, VIP, PU… the truth of the matter is when you take a close look at all of their manifestos and their mandates, and you listen to the persons on the campaign trail, there is very little to no ideological distinction between the parties,” he said.

The outspoken clergyman said of the 13 individuals the VI will elect, they must therefore be elected with meaningful, prayerful, and mindful consideration to bring leadership to the VI, rather than being elected based on party affiliation.

In the last elections in the VI, the parties that contested included the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), The National Democratic Party (NDP), Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), and Progressives United (PU).