Skelton Cline Urges Outside Water Experts
Talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has called on the government to hire external specialists to overhaul the territory's troubled water and sewerage system. He emphasized that outside experts should work alongside local staff to transfer critical skills without causing job losses. Skelton Cline also raised questions regarding the value and hydraulic capacity of current water production contracts.
Local commentator and talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has called on the Virgin Islands government to recruit specialized international firms to comprehensively overhaul the territory's failing water and sewerage infrastructure. Speaking on his radio programme Honestly Speaking, Skelton Cline argued that the public sector has struggled to address the chronic utility challenges on its own.
He suggested that the administration look to any suitable jurisdiction worldwide to secure the technical expertise required to resolve the network's persistent supply and pressure failures. Emphasizing the importance of local job security, Skelton Cline insisted that contracting outside specialists must not displace current employees at the Water and Sewerage Department.
Instead, he proposed a structured framework where external engineers work directly alongside Virgin Islands staff. This approach, he argued, would facilitate vital knowledge transfer and ensure local technicians are fully equipped to operate and maintain the modernized infrastructure once external contractors conclude their assignment.
Skelton Cline also scrutinized the territory's existing water production contracts. He stated that the government pays roughly $1.2 million each month under an agreement for a facility designed to deliver 2.3 million gallons of water daily. He questioned whether the territory is actually receiving that volume, noting that the island's current hydraulic distribution network lacks the capacity to effectively transport and manage such quantities.
Minister for Communications and Works Kye Rymer has previously addressed the utility's contractual framework, clarifying that payments are divided among plant capacity, actual consumption, and electricity costs. The capacity charge guarantees the availability and maintenance of a plant able to produce at least 2.3 million gallons daily, while consumption billing reflects the water actually drawn into the public network.
The government previously announced plans for an engineering consortium to assess the territory's water infrastructure, focusing on pipeline integrity and pressure management, while funding was also designated to repair seven leaking storage reservoirs. Nevertheless, Skelton Cline reiterated that only a comprehensive, hands-on intervention paired with rigorous local workforce development will deliver the reliable and modern water system that residents require.
Primary source: BVI News