Maria Update: Juan Luis Hospital Roof Destroyed; Food Distribution Centers Announced; New Curfew Info Released

Governor Kenneth Mapp held a press conference on Thursday evening at Government House, to update the territory on his administration’s relief and recovery effors following Hurricane Maria.

Here are the important pieces of news from the conference:

1. The curfew for St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island is now 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily.
2. The curfew for the St. Croix District is still 24 hours, but Governor Mapp made an exception for Friday, allowing four hours — from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. — for residents to conduct business. The curfew will go back to its 24-hour status following the exception.
3. There will be a number of businesses open on Friday: Plaza Extra East, Plaza Extra West, Seaside, Pueblo Golden Rock and Food Town. The governor also said that any business — to include gas stations — that is confident it can safely operate, will be allowed to do so for the four hours on Friday.
4. The government will open four food distribution centers on St. Croix; they are stationed at the following locations: Cotton Valley Fire Station, Juanita Gardine School, Alexander Henderson School and the St. Croix Educational Complex. The government will be distributing one case of meals ready to eat (MREs), which includes about 14 meals, along with three litters of water. More supplies are expected, and if they are received on time, additional items for distribution will be added, Mr. Mapp said. The distribution centers will be open for 12 noon until 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
5. The Juan F. Luis Hospital was breached by Hurricane Maria, with its roof being “pretty much destroyed,” the governor said. The roughly 65 patients at the facility will be airlifted to a mainland facility, which Mr. Mapp said would be a South Carolina hospital. Dialysis patients will also be taken off island for treatment.
6. Schools will remain closed for sometime. The governor said a few schools were damaged and at least one destroyed.
7. The government, specifically the Dept. of Tourism, has been working with the airlines and cruise line industries to arrange mercy flights for those who want to leave the island. Mr. Mapp said more information would be divulged during upcoming press briefings.
8. The Henry E. Rohlsen Airport’s terminal was damaged, and while the facility is open for the military, commercial flights will be unavailable for some time.
9. Mr. Mapp appealed to, and forcefully warned the public to heed the curfew. Police Commissioner Delroy Richards said the force would start making arrests if residents continue to disregard the curfew. Mr. Mapp expressed dissatisfaction, and at one point appeared perturbed, with peace officers who were roaming the streets during curfew hours, using the authority of the law to be on the road, but were not actually working. Some, he said, were using government vehicles to transport family members around. The governor spoke of one police captain who refused to report to duty because a tree had fallen in his yard. He deemed the excuse unacceptable, and Mr. Richards said some employees would be relieved of their duties if they fail report to work.
10. The governor, along with Adjutant General Deborah Howell and Mr. Richards, thanked the men and women in uniform who have reported to work, for their service. Adj. General Howell also spoke of relieving guardsmen who were neglecting their commitment. “V.I. National Guard is not a job, it’s a commitment, and if you can’t do it
    we have to part ways,” she said.
11. Along with curfew violators, the governor also warned businesses that open during the forbidden hours to stop the practice, or face the possibility of losing their license to operate in the territory.
12. There were reports of looting, and the governor said he would direct Attorney General Claude Walker to form a task force whose sole purpose will be to find and prosecute those who take advantage of vulnerability to violate businesses.
13. The governor said there were 600 people in shelters territory-wide, who he vowed would continue to receive support.
14. Mr. Mapp announced a project that will see heavy-duty blue tarpaulins being installed on homes by soldiers (through the Federal Emergency Management Agency) territory-wide. The Disaster Survivor Assistance (D.S.A.) teams are trained personnel, who will install about 300 of the heavy duty tarps per day.
15. The Dept. of Health (Charles Harwood facility in Richmond, St. Croix), was compromised. However, D.O.H. is hoping to resume some operations by next week. The department’s vector control arm will continue uninterrupted with the aid of federal partners, Dept. of Health Commissioner Michelle Davis said. The commissioner also urged soon-to-be mothers as well as new mothers, to breastfeed their children to minimize health risks.