St. Croix Airport To Resume Commercial Flights Thursday; AT&T Reception To Start Seeing Improvements By The Middle Of Next Week

Governor Kenneth Mapp announced at his Saturday press briefing that the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix will reopen for commercial flights on Thursday, another step in realizing normalcy in the territory following Hurricane Maria, which damaged the airport. Unlike St. Thomas, Mr. Mapp did not announce the airlines with flights scheduled for the island, but it is expected that some of the major players — among them American and United Airlines, and Jetblue — will have flights available. Inter-island travel has already commenced.

Vice President Mike Pence is confirmed for a Friday visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with his wife, Karen Pence, according to Mr. Mapp. The governor said Mr. Pence will land on St. Croix and receive an aerial tour of the island to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. Thereafter, the vice president will meet with victims of the storm and hear their stories, including their experience with the local government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response.

The governor spoke with Mr. Pence and President Donald Trump in separate conversations today. He said the president expressed his commitment to provide support to the territory, and reaffirmed his planned visit. Mr. Trump intends to visit both Puerto Rico and the USVI in one day, the governor said.

The governor spoke with Joe York, president of AT&T Florida, Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands today, who updated Mr. Mapp on AT&T’s progress in cellphone coverage restoration territory-wide. Mr. York said a barge with microwaves and other equipment had arrived in the territory, and additional AT&T technicians and those from another firm, were to arrive on Sunday evening, with work set to begin on the towers on Monday. AT&T cellphone service should start improving by the middle of next week, Mr. York told the governor. AT&T is also shipping in generators that are to improve the durability of the towers until the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) is able to provide power to them.

There has been no update from Sprint, the other major cellphone carrier in the USVI.

The following are the other important updates from Saturday evening’s press briefing, which lasted roughly 24 minutes:

1. There will be no press briefing and no distribution of meals or water on Sunday. The points of distribution will be closed.
2. Residents with damaged homes should begin putting up signs with their plot number and address so that their properties can be easily identified by federal workers.
3. Mr. Mapp said registration sites for the Blue Roof project will be announced on Monday.
4. To register for a Blue Roof, call 1-888-766-3258. When individuals call the number, they will be asked some questions, but will also be told where to obtain the Right of Entry form, according to William Vogel, federal coordinating officer of FEMA Region II.
5. 21 Blue Roofs were installed on homes in St. Thomas today.
6. Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams will be offering registration services from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Old Post Office in Christiansted on Sunday. You may also signup for FEMA aid on its official disaster assistance website here.
7. The Caribbean Cinemas on St. Croix is open weekdays and weekends from 12 noon, according to the company’s website. Mr. Mapp said residents should avail themselves to movies, either at the theater or, if they have service, at their homes. He also encouraged people of faith to attend their respective houses of worship.
8. WAPA is working on getting potable water to parts of Frederiksted without service — including the Marley Homes housing community. He said WAPA needed to install a generator that would raise the water pressure going into homes. The governor said the generators should be installed and potable water available by tomorrow.
9. V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards said the force would continue to enforce curfew laws. He again mentioned the surge in domestic violence, which has spread from married couples and persons in relationships, to siblings and extended family members. The Department of Health has setup a disaster distress helpline to aid with such issues. Call (1-800-985-5990, press “2” for Spanish), and SMS (in Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands, text “Hablanos” for Spanish or “TalkWithUs” for English to 1-212-461-4635). Callers and texters are connected to trained and caring professionals from a network of crisis centers across the country. Helpline staff provide supportive counseling, including information on common stress reactions and healthy coping, as well as referrals to local disaster-related resources for followup care and support.