Ever since the phased border reopening and particularly since Government had put a brief hold on work permit holders and those with exemptions entering the Territory, there have been frequent exchanges between persons, including expatriates against locals and even locals against locals, over their differing views expressed on social media.

"For being such a religious community... maybe that's the problem, we're too religious. It is religion without authentic and genuine and sincere relationships with the almighty God," he said on the Thursday, August 13, 2020, edition of the 'Honestly Speaking' show on ZBVI 780AM.

Fear & Intimidation

According to Skelton-Cline, a possible reason for the behaviour could be fear and intimidation, which he said is practised throughout all facets of the VI, including in offices, politics and everyday life.

"For a people who are church-going, so-called God-fearing people, people who know the bible, quote the scripture, go to church every Sunday... yet we are so mean towards each other," he said.

Mr Skelton-Cline said this alleged bad behaviour includes intimidation and verbal expressions to keep others oppressed.

"We intimidate [those] who we may be exercising some managerial or supervisory position over, we use and manipulate persons, fear and intimidation and we become a very sheep-like people... that we don't even have the sense to cry out while we are being taken to be slain."

Hypocrisy - Skelton-Cline

He said for Virgin Islanders to overcome that spirit, it calls for people to be humble and bold to speak up and speak out.

"We picking and creating artificial fights, locals, non-locals, expats... we have all kinds of labels, some of which are derogatory about each other. How did we come to this as a people?"

The man of the cloth said other VI qualities include the spirit of pride, which he said comes with condescending, belittling and disrespectful behaviours.

Skelton-Cline underscored that the entire situation wreaks with hypocrisy. "How did we become like this and how can God honour this?" he questioned.