Soaring electricity bills, rising fuel prices and increasing import costs are placing growing pressure on households and businesses across the British Virgin Islands, prompting Claude Skelton Cline to warn during his Honestly Speaking radio program on May 19 that the territory should prepare for more difficult economic conditions and consider whether emergency measures may be needed to ease the burden.

Speaking on ZBVI Radio, Skelton Cline said the territory was entering a period of prolonged financial strain and urged residents, businesses and government officials to plan accordingly.

“The most dangerous position to be in right now is to be unprepared,” Skelton Cline said. “This thing is only going to intensify.”

Skelton Cline said higher utility costs were affecting nearly every sector of the economy, from households struggling to pay monthly bills to businesses facing decisions about staffing and operating expenses.

“These monthly utility bills are so exorbitant,” he said. “There is a domino effect of whether you can keep the same amount of staff.”

He questioned whether the government should consider using reserve funds and other measures to help stabilize fuel prices and provide relief to consumers.

“At what point does any of that trigger that creates a national state of emergency in this country?” Skelton Cline asked.

Skelton Cline noted that the territory has reserve funds and argued that policymakers should examine whether some of those resources could be used to reduce the impact of rising costs.

“There’s no reason why we should not be locking in fuel prices,” he said.

In addition to government action, Skelton Cline encouraged residents to take practical steps to reduce household expenses, including limiting electricity use and unplugging appliances when not in use.

“There are some things that are beyond our control, but there are some things that are within our control,” he said. “We must control those things.”

Skelton Cline said the British Virgin Islands had navigated difficult economic periods before and urged residents not to lose confidence.

“We cannot surrender to our frustration,” he said. “We cannot surrender to our cynicism and our skepticism.”

His comments come as consumers and business owners continue to face higher costs for electricity, fuel and imported goods, increasing concerns about the broader impact on employment, household budgets and the territory’s economy.