Virgin Islands residents will be subject to an 11 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew until at least Nov. 30, according to a government order published Friday in the Gazette.
Governor Gus Jaspert issued the 14-day curfew order — his fourth since the state of emergency was lifted in the first week of October — after his previous curfew expired yesterday.
The United States Virgin Islands lifted its curfew at the end of October after instituting a similar restriction following the passage of Hurricane Irma.
Mr. Jaspert is authorised to order curfews outside of a state of emergency due to a bill passed by the House of Assembly last month.
That legislation lays out penalties for people who defy the curfew hours, including a $1,000 fine and up to three months in prison.
But it also offers “defence to prosecution” for anyone who is travelling directly from work to home; who is involved in an employment activity; or who is involved in an emergency.
It’s not clear, however, if “defence to prosecution” guarantees protection from arrest, and police have not clarified whether they plan to arrest anyone driving directly home from work after 11 p.m.
The law allows the governor — after consulting with the National Security Council — to call curfews as long as two weeks in duration.
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