Work permits, unemployment and employee grievances 
were a few of the issues about 150 residents turned out to discuss with Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering, the minister of natural resources and labour, Thursday evening at the East End/Long Look Community Centre.
Questions and comments touched on topics including the wait times business owners face when submitting work permit applications, protracted job searches, employee attitudes and the minimum wage.
Dr. Pickering told residents that he wants his new ministry to be the best in the territory, and that his portfolio is interconnected with many of the most important aspects of Virgin Islands life: education, health, employment and the broader VI economy. First, though, the Labour Department needs to clear its “backlog” of work and hear from the people about their concerns and priorities, Dr. Pickering said.
More meetings are planned, but not yet scheduled, for Road Town, West End, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, the minister added.
See the Jan. 26, 2012 edition for full coverage.