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US allocates $41.14M to USVI airports in response to COVID-19

- no financial help for VI from UK so far
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St Croix. The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) will be receiving over $41M in aid for two airports from the US Department of Transportation (DOT), the [US] Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced via a press release today, Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Photo: VI Port Authority
US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, left, seen here with US President Donald J. Trump, said the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $41,145,247 in airport aid to two airports in the US Virgin Islands to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Photo: AVIONEWS
US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, left, seen here with US President Donald J. Trump, said the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $41,145,247 in airport aid to two airports in the US Virgin Islands to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Photo: AVIONEWS
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert on March 30, 2020, had said Premiers and Governors from across the Overseas Territories are speaking to the UK Government about their needs on an ongoing basis and the UK Government made a formal request for detailed information from all Overseas Territories on March 17, 2020 and the UK Government is now expecting the VI Government to set out its overall plans for minimising the economic impact of COVID-19. Photo: VINO/File
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert on March 30, 2020, had said Premiers and Governors from across the Overseas Territories are speaking to the UK Government about their needs on an ongoing basis and the UK Government made a formal request for detailed information from all Overseas Territories on March 17, 2020 and the UK Government is now expecting the VI Government to set out its overall plans for minimising the economic impact of COVID-19. Photo: VINO/File
WASHINGTON DC, USA – The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) will be receiving over $41M in aid for two airports from the US Department of Transportation (DOT), the [US] Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced via a press release today, Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

It said US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced today, the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $41,145,247 in airport aid to two airports in the US Virgin Islands to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

According to the press release, this historic grant funding is part of the President Donald J. Trump Administration’s newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Programme, an effort to provide unprecedented and immediate relief to American families, workers, and businesses. 

“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” said US Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

This funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.

Any financial help from UK?

Meanwhile, the Government of the Virgin Islands is still waiting clear word from the United Kingdom (UK) on its request for a grant to assist persons made employed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert on March 30, 2020, had said Premiers and Governors from across the Overseas Territories are speaking to the UK Government about their needs on an ongoing basis and the UK Government made a formal request for detailed information from all Overseas Territories on March 17, 2020 and the UK Government is now expecting the VI Government to set out its overall plans for minimising the economic impact of COVID-19.

“As fiscal management and social security are responsibilities of the BVI Government, the UK Government needs to consider the request made on Friday [March 27] in the context of our own BVI Government plans.”

Governor Jaspert had suggested; however, that the VI is capable of handling its own mitigation efforts.

“We have healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust,” Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert had said.

14 Responses to “US allocates $41.14M to USVI airports in response to COVID-19”

  • Diaspora (14/04/2020, 15:42) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    don't hold your breath for help from the UK...well you got some testing kits that all you will get
    • Port Closure (14/04/2020, 16:07) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      How about atlease letting those who wants to go go...Atlease the port will be collecting port fees somekind of funds will becoming in.....U have to let the people who wants to leave leave...


      .
      ..
  • Don't trust (14/04/2020, 15:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    That because the war against Venezuela.......strategic positioning has ha ha .....
  • HMMM (14/04/2020, 16:01) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Aide to pay wotkers who at home collecting and aint working...Strupes.. U think people aint paying attention to all these things... while the others suffer under lock down....
  • Oliver Cromwell (14/04/2020, 16:02) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    We should take note that the USVI are truly a full US territory, as against in name only like the British Virgin Islands. USVI residents pay US Federal tax, and, are American citizens, or, legal residents like their fellow mainland cousins, who, can live, work and establish businesses in the USVI as a matter of National right. That’s why they received billions of dollars in relief for hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the $41 million for their airports. Perhaps if the BVI fully integrated itself with the UK, we might receive similar assistance, but, we can’t have our cake and eat it.
  • Help urself (14/04/2020, 16:04) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    Im not seeing the BVI.government doing nothing to help themselves interms of income... Now the ports seems like they going close forever.. I believe in helping people that trying to help themselves....
  • Liat 521 (14/04/2020, 17:50) Like (2) Dislike (7) Reply
    The governor and uk does not care about the bvi
  • Quiet Rebel (14/04/2020, 21:35) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    The US has appropriated $41M for Cyril King in St. Thomas and Henry Rohlsen in St. Croix airports. How much has the UK appropriated for TBLIA in Beef Island, Taddy Bay in VG and Auguste George in Anegada airports? The USVI are territories of the US as the VI are of the UK. The VI is still awaiting a response from the UK on a request for lost income for workers as a result of Covid-19. However, there were indications from Gov Augustus Jaspert that the VI has a healthy reserve fund and a robust social security trust fund, meaning look inward for community self help.
    • Proportion (15/04/2020, 10:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      BVI population is about 35,000, of which maybe half are belongers (and thus entitled to UK citizenship): UK population is 68,000,000. In other words, the number of potential/actual UK citizens in the BVIs represent 0.025% of the UK population, which has also lost substantial income, and those are voters in UK elections. BVI GDP (estimated at $ 500 million/year) represents 0.0003% of the UK’s GDP of 3.6 trillion. BVIs has had 3 cases of COVID-19, UK has 93,000 cases (BVI incidence represents 0.003%). Basically, BVIs has little relevance to the UK. About the only thing of interest that we may have are names of UK citizens hiding their wealth from UK tax authorities For which they have tried to lobby unsuccesfully. For the rest of it, we’re on our own. Be thankful for whatever HMG sends.
  • Slavery (14/04/2020, 23:11) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    When we going March for our freedom?
  • home (15/04/2020, 00:41) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    One minute all you want the UK to stay out of your affairs but when need financial aid you all want them come to your rescue. Make up your minds which ah u want
  • usvi (18/04/2020, 11:47) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The airport on St Croix (Rohlsen) is actually U S Navy owned. It has a 10,000 foot runway the military is not going to give up. Yes 10,000 feet. The space shuttle can land there. A little longer than Beef. Twice


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