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Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley is leading the “most unpopular government of the day”, but the fractured Opposition is failing to present voters with a credible replacement, according to political commentator Claude Skelton Cline.
“Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put him up against Marlon Penn and his ragtag team,” Skelton Cline said.
He stressed that his description was not an attack on the individual Opposition members, but on their failure to function as a unified political force.
“His [Penn] ragtag team is not ragtag because the individuals are ragtag. They are a ragtag team because they remain fractured and splintered and scattered,” he stated.
Skelton Cline also questioned whether People’s Leadership Movement leader Mark Vanterpool or the emerging “All 13” movement are offering voters a viable alternative.
“Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put him up against Mark Vanterpool and his mis-pursuit,” he said.
He added: “Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put them up against the so-called All 13, when you don’t hear anything from them except their shadow.”
The Wheatley administration continues to face criticism over the water crisis, deteriorating infrastructure, rising electricity bills, the cost of living and its handling of the public purse. The Government has also been accused of being tone deaf to the daily struggles of residents, many of whom are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic expenses.
However, Skelton Cline warned that public dissatisfaction alone would not remove the Virgin Islands Party from office if its political opponents remained divided and ineffective.
“Hear me, as unpopular as Sowande and his gang is, if you think you are going to replace them with what y’all out here doing, y’all are in for a sad mistake,” he declared.
He predicted that the VIP could retain power with less than half of the ballots cast because of a divided political field.
“They are going to be able to win the next government with 45 per cent of the votes. They don’t even need 50 plus one,” Skelton Cline said.
He even jokingly suggested that returning to the VIP could offer him a better opportunity to influence the direction of the Territory.
“I might as well go and officially join the Virgin Islands Party again and run on their ticket and try to effect change from the inside instead of out here talking, because we are crazy,” he stated.
“Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put him up against Marlon Penn and his ragtag team,” Skelton Cline said.
He stressed that his description was not an attack on the individual Opposition members, but on their failure to function as a unified political force.
“His [Penn] ragtag team is not ragtag because the individuals are ragtag. They are a ragtag team because they remain fractured and splintered and scattered,” he stated.
Skelton Cline also questioned whether People’s Leadership Movement leader Mark Vanterpool or the emerging “All 13” movement are offering voters a viable alternative.
“Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put him up against Mark Vanterpool and his mis-pursuit,” he said.
He added: “Sowande and his gang is the most unpopular government of the day, except when you put them up against the so-called All 13, when you don’t hear anything from them except their shadow.”
The Wheatley administration continues to face criticism over the water crisis, deteriorating infrastructure, rising electricity bills, the cost of living and its handling of the public purse. The Government has also been accused of being tone deaf to the daily struggles of residents, many of whom are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic expenses.
However, Skelton Cline warned that public dissatisfaction alone would not remove the Virgin Islands Party from office if its political opponents remained divided and ineffective.
“Hear me, as unpopular as Sowande and his gang is, if you think you are going to replace them with what y’all out here doing, y’all are in for a sad mistake,” he declared.
He predicted that the VIP could retain power with less than half of the ballots cast because of a divided political field.
“They are going to be able to win the next government with 45 per cent of the votes. They don’t even need 50 plus one,” Skelton Cline said.
He even jokingly suggested that returning to the VIP could offer him a better opportunity to influence the direction of the Territory.
“I might as well go and officially join the Virgin Islands Party again and run on their ticket and try to effect change from the inside instead of out here talking, because we are crazy,” he stated.
© 2026 BVI Platinum News. This article is original BVI Platinum content. Reproduction or republication without written permission is prohibited.
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