Congressional delegation toured storm-damaged sites on St. Thomas and St. John

Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp on July 28, 2018, received a congressional delegation visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands that was led by Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

According to the Government House statement, the delegation said it came to assess hurricane recovery needs and meet with families, local officials, and community and faith groups.

Mapp told the group that the federal government remained central to the territory’s recovery and said an immediate challenge was securing sound roofs for residents living in damaged homes before another storm.

The delegation, described as about 25 members, arrived at Cyril E. King Airport and traveled to St. John by helicopter. There, members toured the damaged Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center, the Caneel Bay property, and Coral Bay, including debris sites, the fire station and the Guy Benjamin Community Center.

On St. Thomas, the group visited Schneider Regional Medical Center and the Charlotte Kimmelman Cancer Institute to review storm damage and repair needs. The delegation also stopped at Tutu High Rise, Bovoni, the Estate Donoe Solar Field and the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’s Harley Power Plant.

During the tour, FEMA Region II Federal Coordinating Officer Bill Vogel provided an update on the territory’s recovery, and Mapp outlined projects underway with federal funding.

The statement said the delegation included Pelosi, Plaskett and other members of Congress from Illinois, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Alabama, New Mexico, California, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/congressional-delegation-visits-st-thomas-and-st-john/