Ferries are running both to St. Thomas and to the sister islands. Photo: FREEMAN ROGERS

Ferry service from Road Town to St. Thomas has resumed, and St. Thomas’ Cyril E. King Airport is operating commercial flights.

This will be welcome news for anyone seeking to travel through the Charlotte Amalie port, which is now accepting all travelers with the proper documentation.

Ferries to the sister islands are now running regularly as well, Premier Dr. Orlando Smith said during a Friday address.

“I am pleased to see that both businesses and government agencies are now operational,” Dr. Smith said. “As our shops open and services can be provided, it gives all of us some hope, a glimpse of normalcy and energy as we continue on with the task of rebuilding the Virgin Islands.”

Ferries are running both to St. Thomas and to the sister islands. Photo: FREEMAN ROGERS
He continued by urging residents to file any insurance claims straightaway and to contact their banks to take advantage of three-month loan reprieves that many are offering.

“Next week the banks will be expanding services, as well as their hours,” he said.

Supermarkets, he added, are stocked and some neighbourhood convenience stores have also opened.

“As we receive aid supplies, we will continue to work with community organisations such as Rotary and district representatives and leaders to ensure those most in need are tended to,” the premier said. “For those residents that have been displaced, we continue to provide shelter, food and necessary aid as it comes in from our regional and international supporters.”

Meanwhile, the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew remains in place, even though the state of emergency has been relaxed.

“This is primarily for the safety of all residents, and also to allow essential workers to perform duties in the late evenings and early mornings to support our recovery efforts,” Dr. Smith said on Thursday. “For example, BVI Electricity Corporation in getting a significant amount of work done in a very short time. Many of you would observe that our capital city has gotten brighter as more homes and businesses have gotten reconnected. Servicemen are also working to reconnect residents on Virgin Gorda.”

He added that the Water and Sewerage Department has completed “a substantial amount of work, … getting our desalination plants up and running, producing water and connecting homes in various communities to the public water supply.”

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