There were three political rallies on Thursday, with District Seven incumbent Dr. Kedrick Pickering, returning First District candidate Preston Stoutt, and Fourth District newcomer JoAnn “Roxie” Romney all launching their campaigns on the same night.

 

Pledging to repair the capital city’s water, electricity and sewerage infrastructure, Virgin Islands Party candidate Ms. Romney said that the inadequacy of these critical services could have detrimental effects on the health of residents.

“What do you think the long-term effects are on our children, pregnant women and the elderly when exposed to sewage day in and day out?” Ms. Romney asked.

The candidate also said she will focus on repairing locations in the Fourth District that have been left untended for too long.

In another gathering in Cappoons Bay on Thursday evening, Mr. Stoutt launched his campaign as an independent candidate for the First District.

Mr. Stoutt, the youngest son of the territory’s first chief minister, H. Lavity Stoutt, is contesting for the second time as an independent candidate — pitting himself against his late father’s VIP.

In a speech delivered during the campaign launch, Mr. Stoutt mentioned several areas where he hopes to focus his work: education, cost of living, energy and youth issues.

Meanwhile, National Democratic Party candidate Dr. Pickering held a rally at the Stickett in Long Look, where he and many of his fellow NDP candidates urged voters to re-elect them.

Dr. Pickering has been the deputy premier and the minister of natural resources and labour over the last three and half years.

As minister, he has overseen initiatives such as the establishment of a licensing board for attorneys via the Legal Profession Act 2015, the effort to complete the greenhouses project, and the legalisation of the practice of people generating their own energy and selling it back into the power grid.

On Friday, independent Sixth District candidate Dion Jennings is to launch at the Bellevue junction.

VIP Chairman Julian Fraser is to launch on Saturday night in Sea Cows Bay, while NDP Fifth District candidate Delores Christopher is to launch in Huntums Ghut.