Firing of Hon Smith made 'common sense & political sense'- Skelton-Cline
During his Honestly Speaking show on ZBVI 780 AM on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Skelton-Cline said when he mentioned on one of his previous programmes that a Cabinet reshuffle was needed, he did not see it play out the way it did.
Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL) was relieved of her duties as Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade on October 23, 2024, and Third District Representative and Chairman of the Progressive United Party (PU) Hon Julian Fraser RA was named Deputy Premier. He is also now the Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources, Climate Change, Labour and Immigration.
“When I said that, and I believed it and knew that it needed to happen, what I did not envisage is that the shuffling would have included the Deputy Premier and At Large member. I did not see that no more than I saw when she joined at the time she joined,” he explained.
He; however, said with the reshuffle Premier Wheatley could “preserve and protect his government, reset some semblance of stability politically” in the Territory.
Premier made the right decision
Pastor Skelton-Cline continued that according to inside information received, the Premier “caucused his group” ahead of another attempt by the Opposition to bring a Motion of No-Confidence against him in the House of Assembly.
“In caucusing his group and speaking with the At Large member she vacillated, wasn’t sure, was going to be led by her spirit as to what she was going to do and the Premier rightfully, if that is in fact the storyline as it has been communicated to me, the Premier did the only thing that he can do.”
Premier Wheatley in his statement to the public regarding the changes said Hon Smith did not give him the “confidence” that she would remain with his administration for the duration of this term and “this left room for uncertainty, and political instability, which we cannot afford at this time.”
Calling the move common sense and political sense, Pastor Skelton-Cline added that to have done anything else would have been “political suicide” on the Premier’s part.
Hon Fraser returns home to VIP
Meanwhile, Skelton-Cline said Hon Fraser had been in a “political wilderness” and “politically dead” before making an arrangement for him to join the government as Deputy Premier and a Minister.
He said Hon Fraser is back home with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) so it is a “natural fit” in that sense, “[Hon Fraser] is a smart man; he is a well-seasoned gentleman...the testimonies that you hear about him, he comes prepared so that’s never been in question...what we have now is a stable government.”
Pastor Skelton-Cline also said he does not support suggestions that Hon Fraser will return to the Opposition side seeking leadership and control.
“He has nowhere to go but where he is at. He ought to thank God and his lucky stars that he can go out on some high, making hopefully some final contribution to these Virgin Islands which I’m sure he wants to do...We need some stability, we need the country to progress, we need the country to move forward,” Skelton-Cline stated.
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21 Responses to “Firing of Hon Smith made 'common sense & political sense'- Skelton-Cline”
" YO BOI IS BACK " AND AM HOLLERING OUT AT YA'LL , ONCE MORE / HEY THEY DON'T CALL ME CITY SLICKER FOR NUTTIN , " AM BADdddddd "
1. He was responsible for putting stop lights on town roundabout.
2. Give Bi Water free Electricity for life.
3. Fixed SCB road alone when he was minister for communication and works.
Any thing for money