London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Power struggle? 'Governor not crediting VI Gov't for COVID-19 fight' - Skelton-Cline

On the heels of a Friday, April 3, 2020 statement by Governor of the Virgin Islands (VI) H.E. Mr Augustus J.U. Jaspert, on the arrival of additional COVID-19 test kits in the Territory, local pastor and commentator Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has accused the Governor of trying to upstage the Premier Andrew A. Fahie administration.

According to the 'Honestly Speaking' radio show moderator, on the April 3, 2020 special edition of his show, the Governor's statement was littered with 'red flags' which he said included too many references to himself as an independent authority in the Territory, although the COVID-19 fight has largely been stewarded by the locally elected government.


No credits to Fahie Gov't - Skelton-Cline

The Governor, as part of his statement on the arrival of the test kits, said: "I would like to reiterate the commitments I made to you at the start of the week. I will keep my communication clear, regular and open. I will listen to your concerns and answer your questions; and I will do everything in my constitutional power to serve you during this time."

Governor Jaspert also noted that he will continue lobbying the UK for support, "I will continue to work, on behalf of the people of the British Virgin Islands, to secure further supplies and equipment from the UK. I intend to provide another equipment update next week, which I hope will include more test kits, PPE and isolation facilities."

According to Skelton-Cline, the statement had too many first-person pronouns. "I see a reference in here where what the Governor is doing, is almost independent from what the government is doing, and/or not at least giving the government the credit for what it has been done in protecting and caring for its own people."


Is Governor running the Territory?

He said the references by the Governor to himself in several instances is especially worrying since it can signal that the Territory is now back in the hands of the UK through the Governor.

"That should never be the case under any circumstances, it should be clear to us, this elected government is spending some $12M prior to what the governor is purporting here, that the United Kingdom is doing."

Skelton-Cline, a day earlier, on April 4, urged the local government to stop looking to the UK for help, accusing the Crown of providing lacklustre and no meaningful support to the VI, following statements by the Governor that the VI can finance its own initiatives to help persons negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Andrew A. Fahie Administration had requested a grant from the UK to assist persons made unemployed due to COVID-19 measures.

“We [VI] have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust," Governor Jaspert said.

This led to Mr Skelton-Cline remarking: "We have to do what we must do for ourselves, do not look [to the UK], the UK does not have a good history when it comes to assisting the Virgin Islands in any meaningful way."

10% of population needs testing

The 'man of the cloth' further said the 480 UK supplies of COVID-19 kits is far below 10% of the Territory's population.

"We are grateful but that's not what we asked for Governor," he said, adding that the Territory needs around 3000 kits to test at least 10% of the population and the financial grant to support those left unemployed by the virus.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×