Based on an update received from the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry appears to be distancing itself from the mayhem that ensued based on last minute changes to the traffic this morning, Monday September 11 made by the RVIPF. 

The update noted that “The Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports is informing the public that this morning, we became aware of an adjustment to traffic in the vicinity of the Elmore Stoutt High School that adversely impacted motorists.

In recognising that Ministry officials were unaware, and no public advisory was issued, the Ministry immediately contacted the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to ascertain why the traffic adjustments were made.

The RVIPF has since notified the Ministry that this matter has been addressed.

The Ministry has requested that before any future adjustment is made to traffic in the vicinity of schools, both the Ministry and the public should be given adequate notification. This way, all stakeholders can properly prepare as they traverse the area.”

The last minute changes which were not communicated to the Ministry, saw frustrated parents and motorists heading to work, lash out across social media, prompting the above response from the Ministry. 

Late this afternoon however, further information was put out to indicate confirmation of changes to the traffic flow throughout the entire school semester. Per the update, traffic will be slowed on the portion of road from the bottom of Joe’s Hill on Main Street to Brewely’s Superette, Lower Estate, and motorists traversing on Fishlock Road will only be allowed to turn left between the hours of 8am - 9:30am. 

Further, traffic will be slowed on Pickering Road from 3pm to 4:30pm, and motorists traveling on Main Street will not be allowed to turn left onto Lower Estate road.