BVI Not Outraged Enough As Cost-Of-Living Crisis Deepens

Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline has accused residents and businesses of failing to show sufficient outrage over soaring electricity bills, the high cost of living, the water crisis and the prospect of further rate increases.

Speaking on his Honestly Speaking radio programme this evening, Skelton Cline said residents complain about the Territory’s problems but fail to take meaningful action.

“There’s not enough outrage from the community. There’s not enough outrage from the business community. There’s not enough outrage from us as a people,” he declared.

“All we do is get on the radio and talk, and sit under the mango tree and talk, and sit by the taxi stand and talk, and sit under the tent and talk, and nothing is ever done.”

His comments follow widespread shock over unusually high August electricity bills and recent signals that water rates could also increase. Government has since announced relief for August and September electricity bills, but warned that continued subsidies are unsustainable.

Skelton Cline cautioned that the financial pressure will intensify, with higher costs expected across several areas.

“This is going to go up. The price is going to go up. Diesel is going to go up, gas at the pump is going to go up, cost of electricity is going to go up,” he warned.

The commentator went as far as calling for widespread industrial action, arguing that the situation has reached a critical point.

“If we are serious, we will call for a national strike. We shut the whole ... place down,” he said. “But we’re not serious. We just enjoy talking. We just enjoy complaining.”

“This is a state of emergency,” he added.

April Fuel Warning Ignored

Skelton Cline also revisited his warning from April that the BVI Electricity Corporation should lock in fuel prices and build reserves in anticipation of worsening global conditions.

“Back in April, I said to the BVIEC, lock in the price at what it was then as reserves, so that when this thing intensifies, there are ways in which you can soften the blow for the people of this country,” he said.

“You cannot stop it, but you can soften the blow.”

He argued that the warning was not followed and also criticised the Territory’s dependence on a single fuel supplier, claiming the arrangement has eliminated competitive pricing.