Pickering: Rankin launched nuclear bomb in HOA recall
Former Deputy Premier Dr Kedrick Pickering has suggested that there is much more than meets the eye after Governor John Rankin moved to recall the House of Assembly (HOA) last Friday.
In recalling the HOA, Governor Rankin argued in part, that he was attempting to ensure the upcoming general elections are free and fair and not open to challenge before the courts. This was after an Auditor General’s report revealed that some 688 persons were granted Belongership status without first applying for Residency status as the law requires.
But Dr Pickering questioned the real reasons behind the HOA recall while speaking at a National Democratic Party (NDP) rally in the Eighth District on Saturday.
“The House is being recalled on Monday. It is a drastic step. What is going on behind the scenes? What did the governor tell the premier that we do not know? Why did the governor take out the nuclear bomb out of his pocket and say I will drop this bomb if you don’t do something that I told you to do?”
He further argued that in order for such a drastic step to be taken, the governor must have told the premier several days or weeks ago that this situation has to be remedied. “So don’t let nobody come now being Pontius Pilate. ‘Oh we’ve made mistakes, we’re so sorry’,” Dr Pickering said.
He insisted that the territory is facing extraordinary circumstances, and suggested this may also be the reason the House is being recalled. “It begs the question, how many other major mistakes are sitting there that we may not have heard about as yet?” Dr Pickering asked.
The former lawmaker urged that this was the reason he has been imploring residents to consider that the BVI’s relationship with the United Kingdom matters. “Those of us who think that it is a joke better wake up. Direct rule is a dangerous pathway for this country to follow,” he argued. “And you must elect people who are capable of running this country, people who have the knowledge and experience to do what is right for this country.”
Dr Pickering dismissed suggestions that he had 20 years in elected office to fix the country’s problems but didn’t do so. “Don’t mind all them who talking about, ‘I had 20 years and blah blah blah’. That 20 years is what you need right now,” he stated. “You need that knowledge and experience…. You don’t have to ask if Dr Pickering could walk into Cabinet on the 25th [of April] and do what is right. You don’t have to ask that because I’ve demonstrated I can do it.”
But Dr Pickering questioned the real reasons behind the HOA recall while speaking at a National Democratic Party (NDP) rally in the Eighth District on Saturday.
“The House is being recalled on Monday. It is a drastic step. What is going on behind the scenes? What did the governor tell the premier that we do not know? Why did the governor take out the nuclear bomb out of his pocket and say I will drop this bomb if you don’t do something that I told you to do?”
He further argued that in order for such a drastic step to be taken, the governor must have told the premier several days or weeks ago that this situation has to be remedied. “So don’t let nobody come now being Pontius Pilate. ‘Oh we’ve made mistakes, we’re so sorry’,” Dr Pickering said.
He insisted that the territory is facing extraordinary circumstances, and suggested this may also be the reason the House is being recalled. “It begs the question, how many other major mistakes are sitting there that we may not have heard about as yet?” Dr Pickering asked.
The former lawmaker urged that this was the reason he has been imploring residents to consider that the BVI’s relationship with the United Kingdom matters. “Those of us who think that it is a joke better wake up. Direct rule is a dangerous pathway for this country to follow,” he argued. “And you must elect people who are capable of running this country, people who have the knowledge and experience to do what is right for this country.”
Dr Pickering dismissed suggestions that he had 20 years in elected office to fix the country’s problems but didn’t do so. “Don’t mind all them who talking about, ‘I had 20 years and blah blah blah’. That 20 years is what you need right now,” he stated. “You need that knowledge and experience…. You don’t have to ask if Dr Pickering could walk into Cabinet on the 25th [of April] and do what is right. You don’t have to ask that because I’ve demonstrated I can do it.”
