Stop Blaming UK, Rule Our Destiny
Former legislator Dr. Kedrick Pickering urged Virgin Islanders to stop blaming outside forces and take responsibility for their future, while questioning the circumstances surrounding the removal of Acting Police Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool. Speaking at a demonstration at the Governor's Office, he reminded residents that the governor's powers are set by the 2007 Constitution and called for a sustained, local conversation on self-governance.
Kedrick Pickering has urged Virgin Islanders to move beyond blaming external actors for the territory’s challenges and to take direct responsibility for shaping their political future, while also raising questions about the recent change in police leadership. Speaking at a public demonstration at the Governor’s Office earlier this week, Dr.
Pickering said there was “something fishy” about Governor Daniel Pruce’s decision to return Acting Police Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool to her role as Deputy Commissioner and to appoint former Gibraltar Commissioner Richard Ullger as interim commissioner. His comments came amid widespread public anger, with many residents calling the move an affront to local leadership. “I just read a letter that the governor wrote to Commissioner Vanterpool… If you read between the lines, the question is, what is not being said?
Pickering asked the crowd, drawing applause from supporters who believe the action was unjust. At the same time, he cautioned the public to understand the constitutional framework that governs such decisions. Pickering reminded listeners that the governor’s authority is derived from the 2007 Virgin Islands Constitution, which allows the governor to consider local advice but does not bind him to follow it.
He noted that efforts to make the governor fully bound by local councils, such as the National Security Council, were resisted during constitutional negotiations. “That is important because we should not be fooled into thinking the governor did anything outside of the responsibility or power vested in him,” he said, stressing the need for clearer local control over constitutional arrangements.
Pickering argued that meaningful change will come only when Virgin Islanders demand greater self-governance. He said he has never sensed in meetings that the UK wants to keep the territory under colonial rule, but that London expects compliance while the territory remains under British oversight.
The remedy, he suggested, lies with local political will. Pickering pointed to steady progress over the last 75 years since the reintroduction of the Legislative Council, citing growth in education, tourism and financial services. He questioned why, after decades of advancement, there appears to be pressure to “turn us back.” In closing, he urged unity and constructive action rather than resentment, calling on residents to discuss self-determination, independence and governance at home, in schools and in churches. “We have the ability.
We have the know‑how to take our country forward,” he said, urging the community to channel protest energy into shaping the BVI’s political future.
Primary source: BVI News