Skelton Cline maintained that the issue has never been meaningfully addressed at the national level, whether in the House of Assembly, among political leadership, or within wider public discourse.
Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline has called for what he described as an “honest, loving conversation” about the lingering emotional, political and constitutional impact of the arrest and conviction of former Premier Andrew Fahie, arguing that the Virgin Islands has yet to fully confront the national trauma stemming from the matter.
Speaking during his programme Honestly Speaking with Claude Skelton Cline on ZBVI on Tuesday evening, Skelton Cline said the territory has remained emotionally paralysed since the events surrounding the former premier unfolded, contending that the issue has affected not only one individual, but the entire Virgin Islands.
“You cannot heal what you refuse to acknowledge,” he said, referencing comments he attributed to “Doctor Roe”, while arguing that the country has failed to publicly process the consequences of the scandal and its aftermath.
Skelton Cline maintained that the issue has never been meaningfully addressed at the national level, whether in the House of Assembly, among political leadership, or within wider public discourse.
He said the silence surrounding the matter has left many residents carrying pain, disappointment and frustration without a proper avenue for reflection or healing.
According to the talk show host, the fallout has had far-reaching implications for the territory’s relationship with the United Kingdom, particularly in the context of governance oversight and ongoing constitutional discussions.
“We’ve been on our heels since then,” he said.
“We’ve been afraid to speak on the subject, unable or unwilling to find the words within our vocabulary to articulate the pain, the disappointment and the havoc that it has wreaked.”
Skelton Cline argued that the events involving Fahie created setbacks that continue to shape the territory’s political and constitutional journey, especially as the Virgin Islands engages in discussions surrounding constitutional reform and the advancement of the 2007 Constitution.
Referencing the recently announced constitutional review delegation and ongoing public consultations, he suggested that the territory’s negotiating position has become more difficult because of the reputational and political fallout from the incident.
“All of what has happened has made this climb steeper because we should be further along,” he stated.
At the same time, Skelton Cline stressed that while Virgin Islanders may condemn what transpired, they must not lose sight of Fahie’s identity as “one of us”.
“Andrew Fahie is one of us. He is a Virgin Islander. He is family. He is friend, and we love him,” he said, while adding that the territory could simultaneously reject the actions that led to the crisis and recognise the long-term damage done to the country’s development and standing.
He also urged residents to focus on strengthening local systems of accountability and governance internally rather than relying solely on external oversight.
“On our own, not the United Kingdom, we must ensure that the guard rails, the accountability amongst ourselves, in our systems and in our structures, are fortified so that we can move on,” he declared.
Skelton Cline contended that the territory now requires leaders capable of understanding the broader geopolitical, social and psychological implications of the challenges confronting the Virgin Islands.
Former Premier Fahie was arrested in April 2022 in the United States on drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy charges, later convicted in a Miami Federal Court in February 2024, and has since filed an appeal challenging both the conviction and aspects of the trial proceedings.
Speaking during his programme Honestly Speaking with Claude Skelton Cline on ZBVI on Tuesday evening, Skelton Cline said the territory has remained emotionally paralysed since the events surrounding the former premier unfolded, contending that the issue has affected not only one individual, but the entire Virgin Islands.
“You cannot heal what you refuse to acknowledge,” he said, referencing comments he attributed to “Doctor Roe”, while arguing that the country has failed to publicly process the consequences of the scandal and its aftermath.
Skelton Cline maintained that the issue has never been meaningfully addressed at the national level, whether in the House of Assembly, among political leadership, or within wider public discourse.
He said the silence surrounding the matter has left many residents carrying pain, disappointment and frustration without a proper avenue for reflection or healing.
According to the talk show host, the fallout has had far-reaching implications for the territory’s relationship with the United Kingdom, particularly in the context of governance oversight and ongoing constitutional discussions.
“We’ve been on our heels since then,” he said.
“We’ve been afraid to speak on the subject, unable or unwilling to find the words within our vocabulary to articulate the pain, the disappointment and the havoc that it has wreaked.”
Skelton Cline argued that the events involving Fahie created setbacks that continue to shape the territory’s political and constitutional journey, especially as the Virgin Islands engages in discussions surrounding constitutional reform and the advancement of the 2007 Constitution.
Referencing the recently announced constitutional review delegation and ongoing public consultations, he suggested that the territory’s negotiating position has become more difficult because of the reputational and political fallout from the incident.
“All of what has happened has made this climb steeper because we should be further along,” he stated.
At the same time, Skelton Cline stressed that while Virgin Islanders may condemn what transpired, they must not lose sight of Fahie’s identity as “one of us”.
“Andrew Fahie is one of us. He is a Virgin Islander. He is family. He is friend, and we love him,” he said, while adding that the territory could simultaneously reject the actions that led to the crisis and recognise the long-term damage done to the country’s development and standing.
He also urged residents to focus on strengthening local systems of accountability and governance internally rather than relying solely on external oversight.
“On our own, not the United Kingdom, we must ensure that the guard rails, the accountability amongst ourselves, in our systems and in our structures, are fortified so that we can move on,” he declared.
Skelton Cline contended that the territory now requires leaders capable of understanding the broader geopolitical, social and psychological implications of the challenges confronting the Virgin Islands.
Former Premier Fahie was arrested in April 2022 in the United States on drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy charges, later convicted in a Miami Federal Court in February 2024, and has since filed an appeal challenging both the conviction and aspects of the trial proceedings.
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