UPDATE: VI's curfew to end December 22, 2017; Governor threatens public
Today, December 15, 2017 the United Kingdom appointed Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert aka ‘Gus’ confirmed our accurate story first reported by our newsroom, that the curfew hours have been extended and will be from 12 Midnight to 5:00AM effective Friday December 15, 2017.
The Governor went further, in a statement issued by the Government Information Service (GIS), to inform the public that the curfew will end on December 22, 2017.
After three months, the Governor and the National Democratic Party Administration have failed to explain to the people the need for an ongoing curfew. However, according to the press release, Governor Jaspert said today, “over recent weeks, we have seen progress on all fronts. Electricity is being restored in many areas, tourists are returning, and there is a sense that a degree of normality is returning.”
Mr Jaspert, who has been on the job for about four months, said “In light of the progress, Ministers have therefore given a clear steer that they would like to discontinue the curfew before Christmas. Therefore, according to the Governor, the curfew will end at 5:00 AM on Friday, December 22, 2017.
While there has been no evidence that the curfew has reduced crime or is an effective crime fighting tool, Mr Jaspert claimed that “The curfew has been in place to ensure the security of the Territory.”
Children behave yourself or else curfew coming back
The Governor also stated something that many progressive residents saw as a threat. “We will regularly review the security position at the National Security Council and receive updates from the Commissioner of Police. 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,” according to GIS.
In other words, Mr Jaspert made it clear, if residents are not ‘behaving’, he has no issues in reinstating a curfew.
Many residents had a negative reaction to such pronouncements.
See previous article published December 15, 2017
Curfew remains but hours extended from Dec 15, 2017: 12 Midnight to 5:00 A.M.
The controversial curfew imposed on residents on September 10, 2017 has still not been lifted and many in the international community are asking if the Virgin Islands is a failed state.
Word from our senior National Democratic Party (NDP) sources inside the National Security Council is that effective tonight Friday December 15, 2017 the curfew will be extended to 12:00 Midnight to 5:00 AM. The sources did not confirm how long this new extension would be in place.
VI & Honduras only two countries with curfew
Currently, the Virgin Islands (VI) and Honduras are the only two places on earth with a curfew and, according to our newsroom's contacts with reporters in that country today December 15, 2017, we were advised that many parts of Honduras with approximatley 9.113 million people, have seen the curfew lifted but remains in some high risk areas.
The entire curfew is expected to be lifted in a few days as the tensions over the winner of the presidential election have been resolved.
The VI imposed the curfew following Hurricanes Irma and Maria that destroyed the Territory, leaving widespread looting, death and homelessness.
Many other countries who were equally affected by Hurricanes Jose, Irma and Maria, like Puerto Rico, Dominica, St Martin/St Marteen, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla and the United States Virgin Islands, have long lifted their curfew or never imposed one. All these places expect Anguilla have more crime than the VI and a greater population. The USVI, for example, has only about 50% of its electricity restored on the three islands of St Croix, St John and St Thomas, and has more crime that its neighbours on the British side, but lifted its curfew almost a month ago.
For & against curfew
Those who support the ongoing curfew claim that many of the islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke and Anegada) are still dark and persons are still stealing items from residents' cars, boats, homes and businesses. They said with the curfew many persons feel “safe” especially the elderly, and there is nothing to do after hours anyway. They also see the curfew as a tool to fight crime, a notion that has been rejected by the Police Commissioner Michael B. Mathews.
In fact, all the recent crimes from September 7, 2017 to current, including the tragic murder of an 11-year-old schoolgirl, have occurred during non-curfew times.
Critics of the curfew say it makes the VI look like a Banana Republic, having to control the movements of residents in a democratic society. They said it is ineffective in fighting crime, as the history shows even with full electricity- from January to June 2017- there was one murder a month with an increase in burglaries, gun and drug possession offences.
They also said the continued curfew can lead or has led to police brutality and is turning the normally peaceful islands into a police state.
Others have said the continued curfew is a violation of the constitution on freedom of moment and assembly, as there is no State of Emergency.
Other critics of the ongoing curfew have alleged that if the Government Leader, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL), is claiming that we are “open for business and back on our feet” then there is no need for the British Overseas Territory to still be under a curfew.
The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also used the curfew to warn their residents about travel to the VI.
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35 Responses to “UPDATE: VI's curfew to end December 22, 2017; Governor threatens public”
This curfew is a joke for after 11 PM I have not see one utility company on the road as to say motorist are getting in their way. Look how the weak Governor allowing the NDP and a few business interest to continue to kill we BVI. Sad Sad Day
I agree very insensitive statement just like inviting us to dance for the Prince!!!! This mad need some cultural training