Local beauty and barber shops remain closed according to law, even as Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) had promised to open those categories of businesses as part of the soft COVID-19 internal reboot of the Virgin Islands (VI) economy that kicked off on April 27, 2020.
During the April 16, 2020, sitting of the House of Assembly (HoA), Premier Fahie said beauty shops would be allowed to operate.

“Ladies, it is now approved that next week you can go and get your hair done. Adhere to the social distancing measures,” he said.

He told the House that he got no less than 120 WhatsApp messages from ladies complaining about the condition of their hair and even joked about launching a 'before and after' Facebook hair competition when the shops re-open.

In the latest April 28, 2020, gazetted curfew order in effect until May 10, 2020, it appears that cabinet might have reneged on the decision to open those businesses.

These supplying beauty products, however, are allowed to open that aspect of the business only.

Internal economic reboot

While it appears that the government might be taking social distancing into consideration with the restriction, there has been no formal explanation on the decision.

This news website reached out to Premier Fahie for comment on why beauty and barber shops are still not allowed to operate and when that restriction will be lifted; however, no response was received up to publication time.

The Premier, in justifying the non-opening of money transfer services, had told VINO that the internal economy must reboot first before transfer services are allowed to operate.

Opposition Legislator, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) had also called for nail salons to reopen, along with beauty shops.