Claude O. Markoe School.
On Thursday, V.I. Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has made available considerable funding for the replacement of two schools severely damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
FEMA awarded a grant of $140 million for the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School on St. Croix and an even larger grant of $324.3 million to the Addelita Cancryn Junior High School on St. Thomas.
It was already known that FEMA had committed to replace these schools, but Ms. Plaskett's announcement of the actual sum of funding is a significant development.
The funds are earmarked for the complete demolition and rebuilding of the two schools, which suffered extensive damage due to the hurricane.
“These awards are for the prudent replacement standard which will be integral for improving our preparedness and resiliency against natural disasters,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. She noted the concerted efforts of her team in successfully amending the provisions of the Stafford Act, which governs U.S. disaster recovery. The amendment allowed FEMA to rebuild critical infrastructure in the Virgin Islands to modern, resilient standards, a deviation from the pre-disaster conditions that normally apply.
Ms. Plaskett also commended Governor Albert Bryan and his team for their role in securing the grant and ensuring it encompassed all community needs. She expressed pride in the work of the Office of Disaster Recovery in obtaining the funding, and said she looked forward to the collaborative efforts with the V.I. Department of Education to ensure full utilization of the funds.
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