Several civil and commercial operations have been put on pause in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Philippe.
Here’s a look at how some significant services have been affected, and what people can expect should they choose to venture out this evening.
This article will be updated throughout the day to include additional updates and information as necessary.
SCHOOLS
Students remained home today, as a result of the storm’s passage.
At the time of this report, teams were already engaged in assessments at schools across the territory.
In the case of the Elmore Stoutt High School, the campus was breached by flood waters, which left behind mud and other debris after quickly receding.
Minister for Education the Honourable Sharie de Castro told our newsroom that teams from the Ministry of Education are currently on the ground addressing that situation and are being assisted by parents and other volunteers in that effort.
She said that, based on preliminary assessments, very few schools were damaged by the storm in any way. She credited their resilience to works completed over the summer.
UPDATE: All public schools, with the exception of the Elmore Stoutt High School and the Ivan Dawson Primary School, will resume classes on Thursday, October 5th.
Students from Elmore Stoutt High School and Ivan Dawson Primary School will be instructed with work posted to their respective Google Classrooms.
These students are expected to return to school on Friday, October 6th.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES
All Government Offices are closed today, October 4th.
According to a release from the Office of the Deputy Governor, this decision was due to the effects associated with the passage of the storm. Offices will re-open following an assessment of their respective state.
Residents are urged to stay tuned to official Government of the Virgin Islands platforms for updates in regard to the reopening of government offices.
UPDATE: Government Offices will resume operations tomorrow, October 5th at 8 a.m.
AIRPORTS
Travel by air in the Virgin Islands was put on hold indefinitely by the BVI Airports Authority on Wednesday morning, with the agency citing concerns about flooding in the Territory.
Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority Kurt Menal advised that following the “all clear” assessments would be done at all airports.
Following this, a further press statement will be issued to announce the reopening of the airports.
“Passengers with confirmed travel for today are asked to contact their respective airlines directly for further information”, the release advised.
UPDATE: Airports across the Territory were cleared to re-open at 1:45 p.m. following the “all clear” and subsequent assessments at the airports. travelers are urged to contact their airlines for further information on travel. Mr. Menal said in a statement that individual airlines and aircraft operators will determine independently whether they will operate their respective services.
SEAPORTS
Offices and ports within the responsibility of the BVI Ports Authority remain closed today due to the effects of Tropical Storm Philippe.
Although the authority had initially indicated that ports would only remain closed pending the release of the “all clear”, shortly after the all clear was issued the authority further advised that all seaports, offices, and warehouses would remain closed due to rough sea conditions.
Operations are earmarked to continue tomorrow, Thursday, October 5th.
SUPERMARKETS
Many major supermarkets remain open today, continuing to serve customers throughout their regular business hours.
True to its claim of being open “365 Days” of the year, Bobby’s Marketplace was open this morning, ready to serve, despite significant flooding in Road Town and debris deposited on the road in Cane Garden Bay.
Rite Way Food Markets urged customers to “Keep Calm and Carry on Shopping” in a Facebook post, adding that all of its store locations are open today for their regular hours.
RESTAURANTS
While this may not have been a day to venture out in search of breakfast, some establishments have been open to serve as usual throughout the storm. Additionally, the issuance of the all-clear at 1 p.m. was followed by a number of restaurants announcing their decision to open today.
The Cyril B Romney Tortola Pier Park announced just before 2 p.m. that several establishments are open for business including bars and restaurants, such as Delhi Corner and Aromas.
The following also took to social media to announce that they are open for business today: Burgers & Crepes and Fantasia by Giorgio’s.
INSURANCE COMPANIES
Multiple insurance companies announced their closure today in a joint statement issued by the Insurance Association of the BVI.
The companies included Caribbean Insurers Ltd., Creque’s Insurance Agency Limited, Alphonso Warner Insurance Agency Limited, The Insurance Store Limited, Premier Insurance Limited, and Coralisle Insurance (BVI) Ltd..
CCT
In the interest of staff and customer safety, Caribbean Cellular Telephone Ltd (CCT) chose to keep all of its stores closed today.
However, CCT’s Call Center remained in operation from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to answer any questions or concerns that customers may have.
The call center can be reached at 284-444-4444