🏛️ Government · U.S. Virgin Islands
Bryan outlined SBA loan program and gave COVID-19 update on April 3 briefing
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said during an April 3 press briefing that Virgin Islands business owners should consider the U.S. Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program, which offered loans to help businesses keep employees on payroll.
According to Government House, businesses with 500 or fewer employees could receive low-interest loans, with loan forgiveness available if workers were retained for eight weeks and the money was used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities.
Bryan also reported that, as of April 3, 248 people had been tested for COVID-19 in the territory. Of those, 154 tests were negative, 38 were positive and 56 were pending. Government House said 29 of the 38 people who tested positive had recovered.
One person who tested positive was hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix, according to the update. At Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas, two people were hospitalized, including one who had tested positive and one under investigation.
Bryan said no curfew was in place and there were no immediate plans to impose one.
He also said Spirit Airlines had canceled flights to the territory from April 8 through May 5.
Bryan said the territory had received approval for National Guard deployment under Title 32 of the Stafford Act, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover the full cost of efforts to prevent, mitigate and respond to the pandemic.
He also said traditional Easter camping had been postponed for 2020 and reminded residents that the territory remained under a state of emergency, with a stay-at-home order and closure of nonessential businesses in effect through April 30.
Bryan said authorities had issued a citation and closed four businesses on St. Croix and had closed 11 businesses in the St. Thomas-St. John District for violations of the order.
Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-urges-local-businesses-to-take-advantage-of-sbas-paycheck-protection-program/