HoA members lambasted for 'always being late'

BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- Social and political commentary Pastor Claude O. Skelon-Cline has once again put members of the House of Assembly (HoA) on blast, this time, for coming to the House late.

Speaking on his weekly show ‘Honestly Speaking’ on ZBVI 780 AM, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Pastor Skelton-Cline, visibly irritated, spoke directly to the HoA members.

“We’re receiving an abundance of complaints of House of Assembly being on time, as it is supposed to be set.”

HoA is your first priority

He told HoA members they were elected by the people of the Virgin Islands to the House of Assembly, and that should be their first priority.

“What you should understand as your first priority is that you, all thirteen of you, were elected to the House of Assembly, not to a ministry, not even to Premiership, the House of Assembly. That’s the priority, that’s the crystallisation in legislation, you’re conducting the people’s business.”

Pastor Skelton-Cline advised that if the sitting of the House is scheduled for 10:00 AM, it should begin at 10:00 AM.

“You are not at liberty to consistently be violating the House of Assembly at a time when you are to conduct the people’s business. I ought to be able to go on Facebook page or the YouTube channel or the radio station, or wherever at 10:00 AM at that designated time, and House of Assembly is commencing.”

He said pastors are often invited to pray at the start of a session; however, when they show up on time, they are often left waiting for hours.

“Disrespecting the people, disrespecting the one who you have assigned the ecclesiastical assignment, sits there, waits and then he takes off, then they call him and say, ‘Can you come back and pray?’”

Skelton-Cline said he would have said no to returning to the House, adding, “Not only am I not coming back, I’m not accepting any more invitations back when you are going to disrespect.”