March 30, 2009 — Official Transfer Day ceremonies kick off at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Legislature Building on St. Thomas.
In honor of the occasion, which marks the official transfer of the U.S. Virgin Islands from Danish to American rule, all public schools, government offices, V.I. Supreme and Superior Courts are closed. Innovative business offices on all three islands will also close, with normal business hours resuming Wednesday.
Post offices and federal District Court offices will remain open, according to information provided by Government House.
Tuesday's ceremonies will feature a variety of speeches and musical selections, and will include the traditional lowering of the Denmark's Dannebrog and the raising of the American flag.
"Each year we proudly celebrate this historic day by paying tribute to the special relationship between Denmark and the U.S. Virgin Islands," Gov. John deJongh Jr. said in a statement Monday. "We mark this occasion by recognizing our Danish heritage, as well as the many cultural and educational programs and exchanges that bind us together as a people.
"Today we also acknowledge the potential for shared future economic opportunities as we build upon a platform of new and innovative approaches to diabetes research, educational programs, historic preservation and other important projects. Looking forward to the centennial anniversary of Transfer Day in 2017, we embrace this unique moment in our shared history."
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