Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr. The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering. Photo: VINO/File

Hon Pickering made his appeal to stop complaining on October 23, 2018, during the sitting of the House of Assembly as they were debating the Recovery and Development Agency Plan. Photo: VINO/File

Cane Garden Bay, Tortola following Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017: The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be remembered for the many hurricanes it brought, most notably hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey. Photo: VINO/File

Hon Pickering made this appeal on October 23, 2018, during the sitting of the House of Assembly as they were debating the Recovery and Development Agency Plan which was before the House for passage. During his deliberation, Hon Pickering reflected on the progress the territory has made over the past year after the devastating August floods and the two hurricanes of September, all of which occurred in 2017.

Far way to go

He said that there has been a significant recovery in almost all sectors including the marine and tourism sectors to the point where two major cruise lines returned, bringing with them thousands of passengers – Disney and Norwegian.

He, however, noted that the territory still has a very far way to go in terms of recovering to a stage of full comfort and admiration, “None of us can be proud to look at the public infrastructure in the country, none of us,” he said not forgetting to note the significance of doing as much as possible considering general elections is on the horizon.

But insisting that all is not as bright as one would want it to be, he said legislators need to show more appreciation to God for where the territory is and what the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government has done following the hard hit of the disasters and cut the high level of complaining.

 “If we don’t be careful, I have said in this house about seven years ago and I am saying again... if we don’t be careful another plague is going to hit this country. Another plague is going to hit us because like the children of Israel we were given a reprieve that we could move forward but all we are doing is complaining, complaining,” Hon Pickering said.

RDA plan not perfect

He acknowledged that the RDA plan is not perfect, “There is nothing perfect about it,” as he noted that there is more than 50% of it that’s good and should be celebrated and continue to improve on the things that are not good. “It’s not a document that is going to be instituted tomorrow or next year,” he said.  

According to Hon Pickering, the Premier of the day will have to go through the annual process of writing the UK Government update the RDA plan as he noted monies and other resources would not be released all at once.

The RDA plan which tags a budget of $518 million dollars was subsequently passed in the house with a majority vote and legislators have taken a strong stance calling for regulations to control the operations of the Recovery and Development Agency and for it to be established in a timely manner.

It was Junior Minister of Trade and Investment Promotion Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) who during his debate acknowledged that the agency has the ability to do and execute things, “There need to be rules, and there need to be specific guidelines in which they understand their roles and how they should function.”