Radio talk show host Claude “Skelton” Cline has hinted at the possibility of calling another Gangster Summit in the BVI, following reports that suggest the recent spike in COVID-19 cases is linked to illegal entry.
Cline made the statement during his Honestly Speaking radio programme on Tuesday July 13.
During the programme, Cline voiced his concerns on the subject of illegal entry into the BVI, which he believes could be linked to the spike in COVID cases in the territory.
“If there is any truth that we have persons illegally entering our borders, our borders that remain porous, again it looks like I’m going to have to call another Gangster Summit cause I don’t understand how come you all start back up with this mess,” he said.
“I haven’t heard or authenticated exactly how this variant is entering but what we do know common sense wise is that in the legal spaces – thank God they’re back to doing at least the rapid test now – but we were catching persons there, we were catching persons in quarantine, we were catching persons with 3 to 5 days out. So, somehow the Delta or the Lambda or whatever it is, something is here… Nowhere else in the whole region, except for the United States and Great Britain and the other so-called developed countries, nowhere in the region has nobody had these kinds of numbers at one time that we have now,” Cline asserted.
Deficiencies in border security
Cline who is also a government consultant urged those persons who may be involved with the illegal practice of smuggling in persons to cease at once, as it poses the risk of the territory reclosing its marine borders.
He said he has been speaking with persons in the local law enforcement agencies who have told him that since the removal of the barges and certain officers, the border security measures have drastically weakened.
“Our borders since the removal of those barges, removal of officers on those barges, which now we’re scared to revisit, because this COI looks like it got us paralyze. What the people in law enforcement are telling me is that one; you all weren’t even meeting on a regular basis like you were doing with the joint task force. I now understand that since, they has been some meeting that has resumed,” he stated
“But again, Governor Rankin and the National Security Council, where is the will and the resources behind the will to ensure that our borders remain fortified, that combats against any illegal substance but equally important now, any human trafficking, especially during this pandemic,” Cline questioned.
This the second time that the well-known pastor has called for a Gangster Summit in the territory. The first was back in August 2020, following a spike in cases in the BVI which was attributed to the illegal entry of persons into the territory.