Territory facing difficult moments; Pray for Premier- Hon. Pickering
In giving remarks, Acting Premier Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering and Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn expressed their concerns about the air over the Territory.
Dr Pickering, in giving greetings on behalf of the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, called on those present to pray for the Premier who is currently among leaders of other Territories who were summoned to caucus in the UK. “I will ask of you, especially those of you who are a praying people to pray for our Premier because these are difficult moments that our country has to face." said Dr. Pickering.
He challenged graduates to, among other things, make the issues of the financial services debating topics. “I wish to recognize the debating society or club which was established this year because in this time of our Territory there is a very important need for intellectual debate.”
He said debating is a way to talk about issues and solutions. He described it as intellectual discourse through which all will learn to respect each other’s point of view and learn how to understand that it is everyone’s right to disagree without being disagreeable. “We can improve our public speaking skills and we can build our critical thinking skills through indebt research which is required for healthy debate,” Dr Pickering noted.
According to the Acting Premier, it is imperative that the great issues of the day in the Territory be addressed. “We must begin to debate the issues of our environment; we must debate the issues of health care, especially the current issue of the National Health Insurance. We must debate the wider issues of the economy even more especially the issues related to financial services, especially now with all that is taking place in and around us on the international scene.”
He said the debates must be initiated by the students at the level of the College as opposed to it being done by the lecturers and the non-government organizations. “It must not be left to government to take the lead on this; the lead must come from the life of institutions such as the H. L. Stoutt community College.
Dr Pickering firmly believes healthy debates sharpen the mind and the intellect.
Hon. Walwyn noted that the financial services industry is currently under attack, even by those they had expected to be supporting them. He charged that the graduates position themselves to take on the leadership role of the Territory. “I hope that throughout your courses at this institution, as you are being empowered, and as the glasses have been cleared up, you have identified your role in our community as well as your opportunity to help these Virgin Islands sail through today’s tougher waters and even chart new courses,” said Hon Walwyn.
He recognized the urgent need to have the people and the country as a whole prepared to overcome the present challenges. “Even as we gather here this afternoon, our main industry, our financial services industry is being attacked at all angles even from some that we would have expected to support us.”
He had also asked students what would be their role to play in helping the country emerge from the present shadow in Virgin Islands’ history.
23 Responses to “Territory facing difficult moments; Pray for Premier- Hon. Pickering”
So when I pray of what benefit will that do for me? No matter the party the people will still perish! I just want elections hurry up come so I can boot a certain minister outta here along with my league of young people who is frowning upon his most devious personal political attack against a noted lawyer who now no longer can work in the BVI... #TeamKenzie!
@qc He was at the wheel for years and he and his croies were the ring leaders of all this mess. Where have you been? You think this just happened when NDP got in? You must not be from here. I know personally some people who crossed him allegedly could not even get a bank loan for their house to be built or to run their business all because they crossed him. This kind of personal vendetta is illegal and all who have done it should go to HMP. A new day will come when they are all gone.
P... is one of the main people living very well and by any means necessary he will never be poor so I heard. I hope all of the thieves and moochers who stole our money VIP and NDP feel what we have for years. Both electoral parties and their cronies who have been running these islands and pocketing the money know exactly what I am talking about and so do many others. The only thing we need to pray for is for all of them to get the heck out of office so some new blood can get a chance to do it right. Everytime someone tell them how the territory can make money to bring in revenue, they knock it down. Hope I live long enough to see them suffer the way we have. Now they want us to pray, I will, but not for them!!!!! Come election time we should vote for a new party, but ayo will still do the same thing and let them continue to abuse us....just watch. When the United States finish with our financial sector, see who will be squirming like worms then.
That is all....