Premier outsmarted the Opposition in Cabinet shuffle — Skelton Cline

Commentator and clergyman Claude Skelton Cline said he believes Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley outmanoeuvred the political Opposition in a recent Cabinet shuffle.

Skelton Cline, speaking on his radio show “Honestly Speaking,” explained that the Premier’s decision was a proactive response to a pending no-confidence motion in the House of Assembly (HOA). According to him, this reshuffle not only preserved the government’s stability but also showcased Premier Wheatley’s tactical approach to navigating the current political climate. In the unexpected reshuffle, Premier Wheatley removed former Deputy Premier Lorna Smith and replaced her with Third District Representative Julian Fraser, whom Skelton Cline suggested was rescued from over a decade of political isolation.

“This Premier has shown two things, I think. First of all, you’re not gonna outtalk him,” Skelton Cline said. “The Premier is obviously a very bright man. He comes from a bright blood lineage of intellectuals. He’s a thinking fellow.” According to the talk show host, the Premier has remained two or three steps ahead of everybody when it comes to holding on to power. “So, you can’t outtalk him. The one that comes closest to outtalking him is the member of the Sixth, [Myron Walwyn] and… the gift of articulation is a good one to have,” Skelton Cline remarked. “They have not been able to out-strategise him.”