US Virgin Islands Officials “Assessing” Impact of Government Shutdown

Above: USVI Governor John de Jongh

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Officials in the United States Virgin Islands say they have begun assessing the impact of the federal government shutdown in the United States.

On Tuesday, USVI Governor John de Jongh said commissioners and heads of agencies met to analyze the effects of the shutdown.

The Governor’s office said that while “for the most part the effect is minimal,” some funding to agencies has been affected.

What’s not yet clear is the kind of impact a prolonged shutdown could have on the territory, however.

“I have asked each commissioner and department head whose agency benefits from federal funding and federal services to take a close look at how their day to day operations are being affected by the shutdown and what can be done locally to bridge the gaps that exist,” de Jongh said.

The Governor said the government would continue to assess the impact in the coming days.

“What I am equally as concerned about is the effect that this shutdown will have on the 700 or so federal government employees who live in the Virgin Islands,” he said. “They are employed by a host of agencies from law enforcement to the courts to the park service. The shutdown will no doubt have a ripple effect here in the territory as well,” he said today.”