Virgin Islands residents will be able to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve roaming the streets at any hour they please.
Governor Gus Jaspert announced Friday that he would lift the curfew on Dec. 22, giving people in the territory free reign for the first time since shortly after Hurricane Irma.
His announcement comes the day after the expiration of the most recent curfew order, which was his fifth since the state of emergency was lifted in the first week of October. He did impose a sixth curfew, though it expires in one week and restricts fewer hours — 12 a.m. to 5 a.m., instead of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. — than previous orders.
“Over recent weeks, we have seen progress on all fronts,” Mr. Jaspert said in a statement. “Electricity is being restored in many areas, tourists are returning, and there is a sense that a degree of normality is returning.”
These developments are what convinced government officials, the governor explained.
“In light of the progress, ministers have therefore given a clear steer that they would like to discontinue the curfew before Christmas,” he said. “As such, we have agreed that this should be the final time that the curfew will be extended — from today up until 22 December.”
Mr. Jaspert did note, however, that the restriction could always be imposed again.
“We will regularly review the security position at the National Security Council and receive updates from the commissioner of police,” he said. “If there are indications that the lifting of the curfew is having a detrimental effect on the security and safety of residents, we will not hesitate to reinstate it.”
Background
Mr. Jaspert is authorised to order curfews outside of a state of emergency due to a law passed by the House of Assembly in October.
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 did not clarify whether they would arrest anyone driving directly home from work during curfew.
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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