'People willing to build more marinas but encountering difficulties'- Hon Skelton
He also said red tape needed to be removed so that more marinas could be built in the territory, suggesting that the Governor is playing a role in the industry being hindered from realising its potential.
Members of the House of Assembly (HoA) met on Monday, March 31, 2025, for the Continuation of the Third Sitting of the Second Session of the HoA where the Merchant Shipping Amendment Bill was read a second time and debated.
Hon Skelton reminded the House that he was a member when the Merchant Shipping Act was first introduced in 2001. At that time, he said, there were “quite a bit of discussions, quite a bit of informal meetings on this bill”.
Ensure the VI can attract mega-ships- Hon Skelton
Hon Skelton openly expressed his disappointment, like with other bills passed recently, saying, “While we understand the importance and the benefit to what we are trying to achieve to the benefit of this country, which is required, but it seems to me that when we implement these things, we turn guns outward to capture businesses and when we can’t get those businesses captured, we turn the guns inwards on your own people.”
He said he did not want this to happen with the amendments before the HoA. Hon Skelton told members when the bill was passed to make the Shipping Registry a statutory body, the financials said there is still a long way before it can break even.
“We need to be able to register oil tankers, which get huge sums of money, container ships, all of those big stuff; you need mega yachts-not the small ones, the bigger ones, and we need to make sure that whatever we do here, it is flexible and can respond quickly to what is required and what we need to do internationally.”
Prospective marina builders encountering issues- Hon Skelton
The Opposition Legislator also said the shortage of marinas in the Territory is common knowledge, and he is aware that people are willing to build more marinas but are encountering difficulties.
“If we want to capture these ships, especially the huge mega yachts- they need to dock, they need to get fuel, they need to get provisions, the things that keep them here for two-three weeks while they’re here-…we have to try to remove the stumbling blocks because once they’re built, they’re here,” he urged.
These vessels, when they come to the VI, will add to the economy, create jobs and “do all the things we are looking for this bill to accomplish here in the Virgin Islands,” Hon Skelton added.
Cut the red tape, manage our own country- Hon Skelton
He also told the House that the red tape needs to be cut explaining, “We try to cut out red tape but we introducing red tape. I think if you want to respond to a marketplace that is very competitive…we have to give some group of people the authority to make a decision in order to get the business you’re looking for as quickly as possible.”
Hon Skelton said he does not think it is the right thing to “subjugate to a formative resolution”.
He explained he is not in support of the Governor being given the authority to make certain decisions when it comes to the VI Shipping Registry as it should be done by the minister responsible.
“It seems like we are becoming scared to manage our own affairs. We are putting one man to do all of this stuff…I think we need to stand up and manage our country in an efficient and transparent way.”
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20 Responses to “'People willing to build more marinas but encountering difficulties'- Hon Skelton”
Additionally the illegal land fill of coastal shorelines must be halted and returned to their natural condition before the land fill, especially Sea Cows Bay and the Havers to Pockwood Pond coast line.
Secondly, train young people so that they can provide the high level services mega yachts need. You’ll need to be competitive with St. Martin, Grenada, Trinidad.
Thirdly, too many marinas will make it too crowded.
there many other things that yall can do to improve the well being of this country and its residents but yall only in it for money friends family etc
can't wait to see yall on corruptok. (Tik Tok trend with corrupt politicians)
1. East and west coasts of the USA and all of coastal Europe because these developed countries have the highest density of yachts and yacht owners on earth.
2. The sailing capital of the entire Caribbean is St. Martin.
The islands of the BVI are simply sailing holiday islands for beginner sailors, nothing more!
Mr skeleton go sit down .. hahahah