Governor Kenneth Mapp on Monday during his post-Hurricanes Irma and Maria press briefing announced that he would be meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., somewhere between Vieques and Puerto Rico. The meeting will be a one-on-one, Mr. Mapp said, and during the discussion he intends to raise some concerns to the president, among them the slow pace with which the Blue Roof Project is moving.
By now, roughly 400 roofs should have been installed, but only 47 have. The governor said the contractor chosen by the Army Corps of Engineers to do the job -- which then subcontracts the work to another company -- was not living up to the task. "We've got to do better than we're doing," Mr. Mapp said.
The territory's leader will seek help from the president with rebuilding schools, hospitals, and putting the territory's power distribution system underground. He will also request a medicaid reimbursement cost share from the federal government that is similar to what U.S. states pay.
The governor announced a further easing of the curfews on St. Croix and St. Thomas, which Mr. Mapp said would continue to be eased until they are altogether abolished, as road crews continue their cleanup work. On St. Croix, the curfew as of Tuesday is 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., meaning St. Croix residents have between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to conduct their business. On St. Thomas, the curfew is now 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
The governor said the Department of Education has set an "aggressive" October 16 date for the reopening of schools on St. Croix, but he wasn't sure whether the date would be met. Instead, Mr. Mapp will meet with D.O.E. officials to determine, among other things, whether the Oct. 16 date is achievable, or if more time will be needed.
Below are the other important updates from Monday's press briefing. The governor will update the territory again on Tuesday, after meeting with Mr. Trump.
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