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Skelton-Cline blasts former Works Ministers promising to fix water woes

- Emphasised that Mark H. Vanterpool had the portfolio & didn’t fix it
September 3rd, 2026 | Tags: Virgin Islands water sewerage Honestly Speaking Biwater
Host of Honestly Speaking, Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline, during the September 1, 2026, airing of his show. Photo: Facebook
Leader of the People’s Leadership Movement (PLM) Mark H. Vanterpool, who is one of the biggest critics of the water situation in the Virgin Islands, served as Minister for Communications and Works from 2011 to 2019. Photo: GIS
Leader of the People’s Leadership Movement (PLM) Mark H. Vanterpool, who is one of the biggest critics of the water situation in the Virgin Islands, served as Minister for Communications and Works from 2011 to 2019. Photo: GIS
Claude O. Skelton-Cline reminded that the current water contract with BiWater, now Seven Seas, was negotiated under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government and amended and commissioned by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government. Photo: NDP/VIP
Claude O. Skelton-Cline reminded that the current water contract with BiWater, now Seven Seas, was negotiated under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government and amended and commissioned by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government. Photo: NDP/VIP
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- The host of Honestly Speaking, Pastor Claude O. Skelton-Cline, has called out some of the loudest critics of the water issues affecting the Virgin Islands (VI), whom he said did not fix the issues while they were in government.

During the last airing of his show titled ‘State of Emergency Part 2’, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, he said the current water contract with BiWater, now Seven Seas, was negotiated under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government and amended and commissioned in 2010 by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government when current Deputy Premier Hon Julian Fraser, RA (R3), was Minister for Communications and Works.

“It started under the VIP government; they got into a local fight with the BVI Investment Club, jacked that from them, took the keys to their Baughers Bay Water Plant. NDP shut down the one in Sea Cows Bay.”

The VI, he reminded, is paying $1.2 million monthly for 2.3 million gallons of water a day from BiWater, adding, “Which they haven’t produced, which we don’t need, which we don’t have the hydraulic facilities for.”

'Pay them no attention'

Skelton-Cline said this is why, when former and current government ministers who held the portfolio previously speak on the water and sewerage issue, they should be paid no attention. 

Former Minister for Communications and Works Mark H. Vanterpool has been one of the loudest critics of the current government’s handling of the water situation across the VI. Mr Vanterpool, however, served as Minister for Communications and Works from 2011 to 2019. 

“Pay them no attention. These people were in charge; they didn’t do it then, didn’t correct it then, didn’t cure it then. They took from our local people and gave to outsiders; now we’re paying out the tooth, the nail, the mouth, the gum, and you still can’t take a bath.”

He added that’s why he is not in favour of any of these former ministers heading back to the House of Assembly and why he is in favour of some of them who are in the HoA to leave. 

“That’s why I am not always in favour of coming on this programme and bashing the young adult government; they just got it. The rest of ya’ll had it for twenty years, and now all of a sudden some lightbulb went on, some new revelation.”

'We’re not getting this thing handled'

Skelton-Cline added that the water crisis in the VI is not getting handled and called on the government of the day to look for assistance from the outside. 

“You have to go and find an entity, some persons, somewhere that you’re going to retain their services to come in here…go [to] China if you have to. I don’t care where you go; we need persons at an infrastructure level, a systemic level, with the requisite skill sets.”

These persons should be brought in alongside locals for the singular purpose of ongoing training and putting the necessary mechanisms in place, he explained. 

“Then a fade away of those people from the outside where our people can take over a proper system, a more efficient system.”

17 Responses to “Skelton-Cline blasts former Works Ministers promising to fix water woes”

  • Pastor (03/09/2026, 10:27) Like (22) Dislike (2) Reply
    Hey cline- who is more evil? you or them? did you return the money to BVI goverment for the consultancy sht to did?
  • Rubber Duck (03/09/2026, 10:43) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yes talk the thing
    • At rubber duck (03/09/2026, 15:42) Like (5) Dislike (8) Reply

      When Mark was minister we had water going to our homes so claude can stop talking @#$%..!

    • Well Well (03/09/2026, 15:46) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      The man to blame is now the deputy and he can be blamed because he is still in goverment
  • talk that! (03/09/2026, 11:32) Like (9) Dislike (4) Reply
    The previous minister MV sold Biwater to Seven seas
  • Ben (03/09/2026, 11:41) Like (12) Dislike (4) Reply
    Claude Spot on with this.
    • To Ben (03/09/2026, 15:44) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
      He is not, we had water to our homes, you gone tell me this government could not fix the old pipes, all i lnow is that we had water eunning to our homes when mark was there
  • okay (03/09/2026, 12:11) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    He is sick
  • You know what? (03/09/2026, 13:01) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am sick of the blame games and whatever comes in between. Everyone of you need to put on some boxing gloves, and beat each other senseless. Complaining ain’t go do Jack S..t.
  • Truth (03/09/2026, 13:21) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    The VIP government including the present Deputy went into this crazy BiWater contract solely to spite the greedy investment Club which was aligned to the NDP. This is the long and short of the story.
  • strupezzz (03/09/2026, 14:24) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Go and ask Aqua Design who gave them a letter to shut down the Sea Cow's Bay plant.
    • @strupezzz (03/09/2026, 16:42) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Why run a plant that could only give an average of 2 feet to water in a tank that couldn't even get up a hill. That makes no sense. Government paid for every drop produced, but couldn't grt to customers. Keep talking though; the information coming.
    • @strupezzz (03/09/2026, 16:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      After it was realised that government was losing.
  • spanish (03/09/2026, 16:02) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    It’s about time call out mark
  • Channel 11 (03/09/2026, 19:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Whose bag was longer?
  • Skelton (03/09/2026, 19:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    You have to be mixed with Clyne .
    No Skelton behave like you !
    Disgrace to the Skelton family !
    Leave Mark alone !
    He going back and make things right !
    Politic is like relationship!
    You want out ppl who you could handle !
    Right now you getting paid from lucil and the current government to do all this ! Get lost criminal!
  • jimbo smith (05/09/2026, 06:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Claude have to be the most ungrateful person ever , when no one else would touch him Mark not only fed him and his family but also gave him a job.


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