As of November 16, 2017 curfew stays the same for next 14 days
The curfew, which restricts residents’ rights and freedom, was first put in place on September 10, 2017 after killer storm Irma destroyed the Virgin Islands (VI), leaving death, homelessness and widespread looting.
As of today November 16, 2017 the curfew hours remain from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM and only those essential workers with passes obtained from the local police can be out after those hours.
Does Curfew make sense still?
It is still unclear months later what the curfew is achieving as looting has been substantially reduced, notwithstanding there are still pockets of small scale thieving; however, there are also greater police presence on the streets of Tortola and Virgin Gorda.
While the Cabinet debate yesterday November 15, 2017 was healthy, according to one Member, a majority of Ministers reported that the business community and residents had requested that the curfew remain in place as the "place is still very dark at nights."
The neighbouring United States Virgin Islands (USVI), with a population of 102, 951 (2016 census), has long lifted its curfew. It also has more crime than the VI and on St Croix less than half the islands’ population has electricity.
In the VI, on Anageda there is some 85% electricity restored and on Tortola some 45% and on Virgin Gorda about 60% is restored.
Lift the curfew- Julian Willock
Meanwhile, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works and Businessman Julian Willock has renewed his call for the curfew, now three months old, to be lifted.
Mr Willock said: "I have heard from the business owners that they want it to remain; however, one also has to balance the rights and freedoms of citizens."
The young Virgin Islander told our newsroom: "before Hurricane Irma there was crime, during the curfew there will still be crime and once lifted there will also be crime...so it is clear a curfew is not necessarily an effective crime prevention tool and that is what we should be working on, how do we with all hands on deck reduce crime..."
He related that while he is aware a curfew law was recently put in place to impose a curfew outside of a state of emergency, Mr Willock said it is his opinion that curfews should be used only during a national state of emergency or something to that magnitude and to date neither the Governor nor the Premier can explain to the residents the objectives of the curfew and the national emergency we are facing that justifies a continuation of the curfew, according to Willock.
Mr Willock said when you look at all the other countries in the region that have been battered by Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Jose, for example the USVI, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Martin and Puerto Rico, they do not currently have in place a curfew so what makes the VI special or different, the political aspirant asked.
Mr Willock also said it is discriminatory against businesses that operate after hours.
Neither the Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) nor Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert could be reached for comments.
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25 Responses to “As of November 16, 2017 curfew stays the same for next 14 days”
Still dark at nights willow
Whats open after 11 anyway ? Bars ? SMH