All have responsibility to sustain territory as safe heaven - Skelton-Cline

“On the matter of the ongoing violent crimes in our community, is an unacceptable phenomenon and should not and cannot be tolerated and we must do everything in our power as private citizens as government, RVIPF, all of us have a responsibility to have and sustain a safe haven in these Virgin Islands,” he said.

Skelton-Cline was at the time speaking on the Tuesday, February 12, 2021, episode of his Honestly Speaking radio show where he delved into the topic.

On February 5, 2021, prominent Virgin Islands (VI) businessman and The Boys Service Station co-owner Rodney A. Simmonds, along with another man identified as Andrew J. Skerritt, died by way of shooting.

The killings were believed to be a crime of passion, however, police have yet to release information on their investigations.

Then on February 9, 2020, police confirmed that the man shot dead in Hannah’s Estate in Sea Cows Bay, was another businessman and champion horse owner Earl D. Hodge aka ‘Bob’.

Hodge was reportedly gunned down at his home in Hannah’s Estate around 8:00 pm.

Prominent Businessman and the Boys Service Station co-owner Rodney A. Simmonds (left) and another man identified as Andrew J. Skerritt (right) have been named in Friday, February 5, 2021 shooting deaths that have rocked the island of Tortola.

Police have confirmed that the man shot dead in Hannah’s Estate in Sea Cows Bay, Tortola on February 9, 2021, is businessman and champion horse owner Earl D. Hodge aka ‘Bob’.

‘More questions than answers’ – Skelton-Cline

According to Skelton-Cline, “It saddens us and it raises sometimes more questions than answers about much of what we see, but we cannot afford to be silenced, we must weed out the lawless element in our country,” Mr Skelton-Cline said, calling for those with information to help bring lawbreakers to justice.

“We are mindful, we are prayerful, but we must also be vigilant in seeking a resolution to so many other outstanding crimes that take place in this territory,” he said.