“This whole notion of direct rule, by its very nature … is against everything that makes us human beings,” Skelton Cline said while appearing on his Honestly Speaking radio show recently.

According to the clergyman, the behaviour of the United Kingdom (UK) sometimes suggests that Virgin Islanders are not free people.

He argued that Virgin Islanders built everything that is around them; including its education sector, its infrastructure, tourism industry, financial service industry and surrounding institutions.

“It was not imported from the United Kingdom or anywhere else for that matter,” Skelton Cline argued.

He said it was important for Virgin Islanders to remember who they are as a people.

“Our people have already demonstrated that ‘yes, we can,’ because we have,” he stated while arguing that it is something that needs to be continuously instilled.

Meanwhile, the talk show host said the Commission of Inquiry is something that was meant to erode the confidence of the people. He equated the Commission to psychological warfare.

Skelton Cline also reasoned that regardless of whatever governor appears in the BVI, he/she is simply the face and embodiment of the UK’s agenda.

He said it has to be made clear that the BVI is opposed to any form of ‘taking over’ by the UK even if it comes under the guise of taking over the Finance Ministry, for instance.

UK overtook Turks and Caicos after 2008 COI

After a similar COI was carried out in another Overseas Territory — the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) — between 2008 and 2009, it was found that “a high probability of systemic corruption [existed] in the TCI government.” Based on these findings, it was recommended that there be a partial suspension of the 2006 TCI Constitution and the government be taken over by the governor.

Criminal proceedings were also recommended.