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Building 'relationship' with UK must be 1st priority after elections- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering

- says he sincerely believes he as 'a lot to offer the country as an At Large’ Representative
At-Large candidate in the 2023 Elections in the Virgin Islands (VI), Dr Kedrick D. Pickering said for the new political season in the Virgin Islands, he believes he will have a lot more to offer the VI as an At-Large candidate more than anything else. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- Former Seventh District Representative Dr Kedrick D. Pickering said he believes he will have a lot more to offer the Virgin Islands (VI) as an At-Large Representative than anything else.

Appearing as a guest on the Honestly Speaking show with Claude O. Skelton-Cline on ZBVI 780 AM on March 7, 2023, the former Deputy Premier said, “I sincerely believe that I have a lot to offer the country At Large and somebody asked me two nights ago, but you used to do that from a District candidate, the issues are more complex now.

VI must have dialogue with the UK - Dr Pickering 

“I can best help the country being a Territorial At Large Representative and looking at the issues that are affecting Jost van Dyke, and Anegada and Virgin Gorda and really giving my best to help the greater pieces to become part of the significant whole,” the National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate added.

Dr Pickering noted that systemically, one of the first things the VI must do when it concludes the elections is it must continue to build the relationship with the United Kingdom, which he said is part of the four ‘big ticket’ items that must be looked at.

“One, is our relationship with the United Kingdom, the second is our infrastructure, third, is the education in this country and the educational system and everything that attains to it, and fourthly, what sort of future it is we're building for our children, the economic platform that we want to build, ensure that our children have the opportunities from which to build and therefore have a sustainable future,” he added.

Dr Pickering said that from day one after the local elections, the VI government needs to sit down with the United Kingdom government, whether they are invited or the government from the VI travels to London. 

“We need to be able to establish a dialogue that says we're ready to advance our relationship and not see it continue to be what it is at this point in time. And those discussions will then embody all of the major issues that are affecting us,” he added.

No confrontations

Dr Pickering underscored that the discussions must neither be confrontational nor in any way antagonistic, rather it must be a conversation where it is a meeting of the minds, as the United Kingdom has said it wants to have a mature relationship with the VI.

"And we must take up that mantle and have a mature relationship with them, because it doesn't matter what our future is, our future is still intertwined with the United Kingdom government in the foreseeable and in the long term future, because if we are going to go down our path in which we want to be self-governed… They have to be a part of it. It can't happen without them.”

Dr Pickering added that a self-government VI will also need relationships and one of the most important ones would be with the UK.

“They could help provide us with the resources that we need, and both human and manpower and technical expertise and, where necessary, financial assistance and help us also to continue to solidify our relationships with our neighbours,” he detailed.

24 Responses to “Building 'relationship' with UK must be 1st priority after elections- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering”

  • Hmmmm (13/03/2023, 09:31) Like (14) Dislike (5) Reply
    He done wuk magic to secure victory so he is speaking confidently as if he already won.
  • okay (13/03/2023, 09:36) Like (31) Dislike (8) Reply
    You know you have always been with them and sell out your people so what is new.
  • herbs power (13/03/2023, 09:45) Like (23) Dislike (7) Reply
    Y'all slaves don't get it at all. Those people cannot change, the only way forward is to separate from them.
  • UK resident (13/03/2023, 09:53) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    Let him speak with all the nations that tried to reason with the UK who was over them at the time. He will see that these UK Officials in those offices in the UK that advises the UK Ministers do not care about anyone else but themselves not even the common UK citizens. They will never change.
    .
  • NoPickoNo (13/03/2023, 10:14) Like (26) Dislike (2) Reply
    He believes in those white people badly. They don't give a rat's @$$ about us.
  • musa (13/03/2023, 10:16) Like (3) Dislike (6) Reply
    As old people say don't curse the bridge you cross .
  • Haha dr (13/03/2023, 10:16) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    We agree but, you wouldn’t be a part of it.
  • 2023 (13/03/2023, 10:33) Like (11) Dislike (6) Reply
    over 20 years Picko in that village also in the house of assembly and what is his track record so you can’t fix blame on a guy who that join house of assembly in 2019 the face with the covid 19 disruptions

  • Native Tongue (13/03/2023, 10:39) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    You had Twenty Years + to do that, you did Nada.
  • My Issue (13/03/2023, 10:59) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    Mitch, Lorna, Kendrick & Marlon are known to have secret meetings with some of those people working with them to get out the present government so they can get the power. What they fail to realize is that they are going to do them the same things and worse if they ever get the government. It is just their nature.
    • Sam (13/03/2023, 15:59) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ My Issue: national dose of poison(NDP)were very questionable during their term(s) in office. what happens should the former minister ends up up the ghut. That group used your tax money for their personal gratification do you need a repeat of such conduct

      we need good people
  • Sambo (13/03/2023, 12:14) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI people like all people are entitled to pursue self determination. The UN tasked the UK as the Administering Power to help and guide the BVI towards a full measure of self-government. That directive took place in 1946 at the conclusion of WWII. The BVI supposedly is self-governing. But the reality is its latest constitution is a dependency model constitution with the UK holding unilateral power. Any devolved power can be easily reversed, ie, suspending the constitution. People like Dr. Pickering and others are so brainwashed and conditioned with colonialism and colonialists that it is all they can see. Notice how he posit and posed question. He didn’t say that the BVI and UK should sit at the table and discuss the BVI self-determination process. Instead, he posit that the BVI should after the election as a first priority build a relationship with the U.K. He didn’t say take a look at improving healthcare, improving the economy, lowering the cost of living, improving education, arresting rising crime, etc. He immediately jump to a master-slave context. He sees his rich white friends as a be all, end all. He served 20 years in the HOA with no nothing to brag about. With a sense of entitlement, he wants to get back in but he should be banned from even driving by the HOA. It seems like his only immediate interest is keeping his rich W…..e friends in control and happy and could probably don’t give a rat’s ass about the majority of BVI people. If he does, he has a peculiar way of showing it. He has shown where his interest lies.
    • Quiet Warrior (13/03/2023, 14:26) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Colonialism is a rising tide but this guy is a homing device for the colonialism pathogen. There is an existential battle for self-determination for the BVI people. But the elitists are hesitant to fight the colonialism contagion. Instead, what is emerging is the facilitating of the onslaught of colonialism 2.0. Pull up in the lazy boy with a greenie, some pop corn, wings, etc, and enjoy the show. The pretenders, brown noses, etc, will be diligently at work, showing their true colors. Why did Dr. Pickering didn’t not to compete in the 7th again? More blows. But we waiting at large fu he.
    • Meh son (14/03/2023, 15:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Meh son, ah yu hard pun eh but he made fu he bed dat way. The olde peeps say, yu Mark yu bed hard yu lie en it bad. No pity, no mercy.
  • Tired (13/03/2023, 13:06) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    cleaning up the country and becoming accountable is what should be first on anybody agenda
  • John (13/03/2023, 13:25) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
    U all may not.agree but in.order to.get the roads fix is by lending the money from the uk
    • @John (13/03/2023, 17:33) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
      Nonsense, the UK is not the only source of funding.
      • @@John (13/03/2023, 21:38) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
        You’re right, but it’s the only source who will make sure the money isn’t stolen by our elected officials.
  • El capitan (13/03/2023, 19:27) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Good Fahie bad Fahie. I would still choose him over most of you that wouldn't stand up to the UK trying to set the BVI back 200 yrs. Don't try to pin point the BVI bad without doing so in the UK 1st. Clean up your house and set the model if you want others to look up and/or follow suit. Be the mold before trying to create one somewhere else.
  • Concern about our health system (13/03/2023, 19:30) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well imagine four big issues and the doctor didn’t even mention the health system and the health issues of the territory SMH
  • Quiet Storm (14/03/2023, 08:11) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Elitists just cannot help themselves. They have been conditioned by the colonialists that they (colonialists) were ordained to rule and their role is to help them control the local masses and advance their (colonialists) agenda. For the elitists their agenda is colonialism; it is foremost though they were elected by the local people who are only useful for providing votes during an election. This man had 20 years, serving as Deputy Premier, to make a difference but was an abject failure, quipping quickly that people was jealous of him because of his RICH WHITE FRiENDS who seemed to be the priority. If he could not get things done in 20 years when he had power when will he get any thing done??? Seemed like he missed the ststus, power and privileges, entitlements,etc, and is hsving withdrawal symptoms.
  • SB (15/03/2023, 08:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    They already own us so why do WE have to establish a relationship? UK need to establish a relationship with us. WE DIDN'T LAND ON PLYMOUTH ROCK PLYMOUTH ROCK LANDED ON US! LOL I know it's American but it seemed to apply here.


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