Radio broadcaster Claude Skelton Cline has revealed that he refused to support former legislator Mark Vanterpool's pursuit of the Premier's office, citing ancestry as his reason for the stance.
Skelton Cline disclosed that the exchange occurred months before the National Democratic Party held its internal elections, when Vanterpool was actively seeking backing. Speaking in front of witnesses, Skelton Cline told Vanterpool: "I don't want you to get up from this table thinking that you have my support, because you do not."
The broadcaster framed his objection not as a question of Vanterpool's capabilities but as a matter of principle. He contends that the Premier's post must remain the preserve of those with ancestral ties to the Virgin Islands through at least one parent. Vanterpool, along with his sister Lorna Smith and other siblings, traces family roots to Anguilla.
Skelton Cline elaborated on his reasoning: "It is the singular office that needs to be preserved and protected for the perpetuation of a Virgin Islander by ancestry, either from their mother's house and/or from their father's house. And unfortunately for you, you don't fit that category."
He further emphasised his long-term thinking about the territory's future. "I am not thinking about 2026. I'm thinking about 2086. And I'm concerned about the dilution of Virgin Islanders' identity in this country," Skelton Cline said.
The debate over which senior roles should be restricted to ancestral Virgin Islanders remains contentious within the territory. Many residents, including Skelton Cline, hold the view that certain positions warrant such protection. Despite their fundamental disagreement on this matter, Skelton Cline stated that his relationship with Vanterpool remains friendly.
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