'I feel brand new'- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering
“I am telling you, I am re-energised, the last four years I had a sabbatical, I feel brand new, I am full of energy, I am ready to go, to use my knowledge and my experience,” he told those gathered at the campaign rally of Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) on April 19, 2023, at Andy’s Car Wash in Greenland.
“That 20 years of experience that I had representing my district is now what this country needs to represent this entire country and that is why I am running At Large so that I can bring all that wealth of knowledge and experience to the entire county.”
He added that his experience will help support his cousin Hon Penn to run this territory and lead this VI forward.
In 2019; however, District 7 largely rejected Dr Pickering in favour of Dr Natalio D. Wheatley (VIP), who went on to become the first Premier from that district and is now leading the VIP into the 2023 elections as its Chairman.
Dr Pickering, who is now backing Perline R. Scatliffe to defeat Dr Wheatley in D7, was said to have failed the district over his 20-year run, resulting in the fed-up electorate voting to change their representative.
The Seventh District largely rejected Dr
Kedrick D. Pickering in favour of Dr Natalio D. Wheatley (in photo),
who went on to become the first Premier from that district. Dr Wheatley
is also the Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
'We will be honest with you' Dr Pickering
Dr Pickering; however, promised, that this time around his government will do what it takes to make the territory right.
“I am begging you, that we will do what needs to be done we are making you one solid promise and one solid promise, that is we are going to do our best to move this country forward,” he said.
Dr Pickering further promised that he will be honest with the people of the VI and not make dishonest and unattainable promises after spending some 20 years in office (1999-2019).
Many critics have said that after 20 years, the medical doctor had little to show at the end of his tenure and should leave the political space for new blood.
Since his loss in 2019 and ahead of the 2023 elections, many have also said Dr Pickering became accessible but while in office he “rode high above the clouds” and no one had access to him, especially the people from District 7, except the elite class who lived on the sister islands and cays.
