Governor 'Dances Between Two Powers'
Dr Kedrick D. Pickering said the Governor of the Virgin Islands must "dance between two powers" while addressing the "Hands off our Commissioner" protest on Monday, November 10, 2025. His remarks came after Governor Daniel Pruce's decision to reinstate Acting Commissioner Jacqueline E. Vanterpool to Deputy Commissioner and appoint UK national Richard Ullger as interim Commissioner of Police, a move that sparked the week-long demonstrations.
Pickering told a crowd at the "Hands off our Commissioner" protest on Monday, November 10, 2025, that the office of Governor occupies what he described as a "schizophrenic position" — forced to "dance between two powers." Speaking to demonstrators opposed to Governor Daniel Pruce’s recent policing appointment decisions, Dr Pickering explained the dual role of the Governor: to represent the Virgin Islands’ views to the United Kingdom government, and to convey the UK’s positions back home. "Part of the reason we pay the Governor’s salary is so that he can represent our views there.
The protest followed the Governor’s decision to return Acting Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool to her role as Deputy Commissioner and to nominate United Kingdom national Richard Ullger as interim Commissioner of Police. That decision prompted demonstrators to gather under the banner "Hands off our Commissioner," with organisers announcing the action will continue throughout the week.
Dr Pickering acknowledged the difficult position Governors often face. "I have witnessed first-hand Governors dancing between two opinions," he said, adding that the role frequently places the officeholder in a constrained position between local aspirations and directives from London.
While critical of the dynamic, Dr Pickering said he has never attended a meeting where he felt the UK government expressly sought to "hold us into colonialism." He did, however, relay a message he said he had observed in practice: "As long as you remain under our rule, you will do what we say." He argued that such attitudes underscore the need for the Virgin Islands people to decide their own destiny.
Referencing the reinstatement of the Legislative Council 75 years ago, Dr Pickering pointed to steady historical progress in local governance and questioned why some would now seek to reverse that trajectory. "We have never looked back. Why now people want to tell us we must behave in a certain way, when they should be doing what is necessary for us to move forward?" he asked.
The protest highlights ongoing community unease about the Governor’s exercise of powers in key public appointments and renews calls for clarity on the balance between local authority and UK oversight. Organisers said activities would continue through the week as residents press for a locally accountable resolution.
Primary source: VINO