USVIHTA October 2020 Update 1

USVIHTA Update | October 2020

Greetings Members,

We're excited to see many of you reopening your doors and welcoming back visitors! Don't forget to read and share our weekly COVID-19 update with current information and resources for your business. And please be sure to share the USVI Travel Screening Portal on your websites and social media - usvitravelportal.com.

COVID-19 Update

Please click the links below to read our recent updates. Keep in mind that statistics are changing daily as we learn more, so some of the information from our updates may have changed. You can also visit doh.vi.gov/covid19usvi for more information. To receive updates, alerts and notifications on COVID-19 in the USVI, TEXT “COVID19USVI” to 888777. If you suspect you have symptoms or if you have questions, please call the Health Department’s Epidemiology Division Hotline: 340-‪712-6299 (STX) and 340-‪776-1519 (STT & STJ).

USVIHTA COVID-19 Communications:

Other Information:

White House Blocked C.D.C. Order to Keep Cruise Ships Docked - article from New York Times

It's Time: Pasha de Cartier is Back at Little Switzerland

It's time: Pasha de Cartier is back. Amplified by originality and uniquely powerful, it is a classic from the Maison's archives, reimagined. Shop Cartier by contacting your favorite store manager or our personal shopping consultants. Personal shopping consultants: 877-800-9998 - shop@littleswitzerland.com. Monday - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST, Tuesday - Friday - 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. EST and Saturday - 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. EST.

Meeting Room Specials at The Buccaneer!

The Buccaneer is here to support our community during this difficult time. We would like to offer your business our special meeting room promotional deals to help keep your business going while staying safe. We have fully-sanitized meeting rooms with high-speed internet, conference chat capabilities and more! Our special offers are for small, socially-distanced and safe meetings because sometimes you need more than a Zoom call to get the work done! We also have exclusively discounted deals for one or two people needing a sanitized and quiet place to work. Many people are working from home during this time which can mean a lot of distractions keeping you from doing your best work, or unreliable internet and power that can make working from home more difficult on our island. The Buccaneer offers the highest speeds in internet, which means you will always be on top of your Zoom call, and with our own power plant, power outages disrupting your work is a thing of the past! All of our meeting room promotions also include complimentary coffee to help keep you going. We also have discounts for long-term meeting room rentals. This is a great option if you have an important deadline coming up and need a dedicated and quiet place to work. Please email Erin Procter at Erin.Procter@thebuccaneer.com for more information. Click here to view an informational flyer.

USVIEDA Board Appoints Wayne L. Biggs, Jr. as New CEO of the V.I. Economic Development Authority

The governing board of the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority announces the appointment of Wayne L. Biggs, Jr., as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (USVIEDA). As CEO of this semi-autonomous government instrumentality in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Biggs will be responsible for leading the USVIEDA team in aiding the V.I. Government in growing the USVI economy through the creation of opportunities for business investment and job creation. Read more.

More local news:

Gov. Bryan Issues October Proclamations

Lt. Gov. Roach Signs Government Employee Health Insurance Agreements

Government House on the Air

V.I. Fire Service Lifting Burn Ban

Do Your Holiday Shopping with My Brother's Workshop!

My Brother's Workshop is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing hope and purpose to at-risk and high-risk youth, ages 16-24, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. MBW's holistic approach of mentorship, education, mental health counseling, on the job training and job placement has helped over 1200 young people choose a better path, further their education and ultimately change their lives. MBW is beginning to take orders for the holidays and we thought you and your company may be interested in these personalized items for your employees or clients. All of the products are laser engraved at the MBW Workshop by trainees and all proceeds from orders go back into furthering the mission of the program. If you have any questions please let us know. You may contact MBW directly to place your order at communications@mybrothersworkshop.org or by calling 340-715-2769. Click the flyer to the right to expand. Click here to view the MBW Booklet.

CHTA President Calls for Support to Rural Areas on World Tourism Day

The president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) welcomed the focus of World Tourism Day this year on the important, but often overlooked, linkages between tourism and rural development. Applauding the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) celebration of tourism’s essential role in providing opportunities beyond major urban centers, Patricia Affonso-Dass noted that many of the Caribbean’s rural areas have benefited from tourism’s development and are now challenged with working together to revitalize tourism, as their communities have been particularly hard hit by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Read more.