Skelton-Cline Defends Remarks on Smith After Vanterpool
Clergyman and radio host Claude Skelton-Cline has defended remarks he made suggesting former Fourth District representative Mark Vanterpool might be starting a new political party and that Vanterpool’s sister, Junior Minister Lorna G. Smith, could be involved. Vanterpool rejected the suggestion on ZBVI Radio, calling the comments irresponsible, and Skelton-Cline later clarified on his own programme that his statements were based on a primary source and framed as suspicion rather than fact.
Claude Skelton-Cline has again defended comments he made on his radio programme about a possible new political grouping involving former Fourth District representative Mark Vanterpool and Vanterpool’s sister, Junior Minister for Financial Services and Economic Development Hon Lorna G.
Skelton-Cline first raised the matter during his final show of 2025 when he speculated that Vanterpool "was starting a party" and said he "suspect[ed]" Lorna Smith could be joining him. The remarks were reported widely and prompted an immediate public reaction from Vanterpool. Following Skelton-Cline’s broadcast, Vanterpool went on ZBVI Radio and strongly rejected the suggestion.
According to Vanterpool, his sister "continues to do her work and is not joining any party with him," and he described Skelton-Cline’s comments as irresponsible and untrue. Vanterpool told listeners he was "very annoyed" by the broadcast and urged commentators to verify statements before airing them so the public receives accurate information.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2026, during the first episode of Honestly Speaking for the year, Skelton-Cline addressed the fallout directly. He repeated that he had said Vanterpool was starting a party and that he "suspect[ed]" — stressing the word suspect — that Smith might be involved.
Skelton-Cline told his audience he learned of Vanterpool’s forceful response after a news agency published accounts of the exchange, and he said Vanterpool had not listened to the programme himself but was "receiving the information from somebody else" when he reacted. Skelton-Cline further told listeners he was speaking from a primary source and that his remarks were explicitly couched as suspicion rather than fact.
He said he had spoken to Vanterpool via WhatsApp after the response and does not wish to get into any "squabble" with him, describing Vanterpool as a friend and colleague within the same ministry. "This is Honestly Speaking, this is a grown-up programme," Skelton-Cline said, adding he wanted to be transparent and forthright with his audience.
Observers note this exchange takes place against ongoing speculation about political realignments in the House of Assembly. Lorna Smith has been associated with the National Democratic Party, while Mark Vanterpool served as an NDP legislator for the Fourth District. Any change in party alignments could influence local political dynamics and policy priorities important to residents, including oversight of financial services.
For now, the two men appear to be attempting to contain the disagreement, while residents and political watchers await clearer, direct statements from the politicians involved. The episode has renewed calls for commentators and media to verify sources and clearly distinguish between confirmed developments and informed suspicion before presenting them to the public.
Primary source: BVI News