London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

‘If the NDP is dead, lets funeralise it’ - Skelton-Cline

Honestly Speaking radio show moderator, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has urged Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn to make official the death of the National Democratic Party (NDP) instead of constantly complaining across the media and in press conferences.

“If you all are leaders, this is a time to show your leadership skill… you don’t come on and whine all the time about… Unless we are going to funeralise the National Democratic Party Government, the Leader of the Opposition and his party if you want to lead, show your prowess,” Skelton-Cline said on the Tuesday, January 28, 2020, edition of his radio show.


Stop Complaining – Skelton-Cline

In a direct appeal to Hon Penn, the man of the cloth urged the NDP, “Say we are coming back, say yes we have a misstep here… we are alive and well, but short of that, we have to assume the thing is dead,” he said.

On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, Hon Penn said he was ‘truly disappointed’ that Sixth District Representative, Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines had crossed the floor to join the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government, led by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie without first consulting the NDP.

"This decision [has] come out of deep thoughts and prayers over a prolonged period. I have not been made any promises or offers... nor have I asked for any. I simply want which is best for our Territory and I believe that what is best for the BVI at this time, is for all patriotic Virgin Islanders to be working together," Hon Maduro-Caines said as part of her Monday, January 20, 2020, announcement to abandon the NDP.

Since then, the Opposition led by Hon Penn has launched a vicious tirade of criticisms against the government, starting at a press conference the following day where the Opposition Leader was quick to tell the media that he had ‘moved on’ from Hon Maduro-Caines.

Other Opposition Members, including Hon Julian Fraser RA and Hon Melvin M. Turnbull; however, shared a difference in opinion, noting that some discussion ahead of the exit would have sufficed.

Hon Penn, through his statement and reaction, had subtly confirmed the suspicion that the NDP was caught off-guard regarding Mrs Maduro-Caines’ choice to exit the party; a decision that may have shaken and weakened the core of the NDP.


‘Let’s set a date for the funeral’ – Skelton-Cline

“If it [NDP] is dead, let's funeralise it, let’s set a date for the funeral… then let some viable party come up because in any democracy you’re going to need a strong viable second or [a] third party, that’s who is going to make us strong, that’s what democracy is all about,” Mr Skelton-Cline said.

He said, therefore, the Opposition complaining at press conferences and in the media and even making a promise to go back into the past to investigate NDP spending is not the easy forward but rather the focus should be on the future.

“Brexit is happening, financial services, economic substance, there are so many big-ticket items that we need to be concerned about and yet are expending so much effort and energies… fighting each other when the fight is not amongst each other,” he said.

‘We deserve better,’ of the Opposition, Skelton-Cline told his listening audience, while underscoring that the real fight is with external pressures.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×