(a) There is hereby authorized to be paid from the appropriations of the several departments, the expenses of travel of new appointees recruited from outside or within the Virgin Islands and their immediate families and expenses of transportation of their household goods and personal effects from places of actual residence outside or within the territorial limits of the Virgin Islands and for such expenses on return of such employees and their families from their post of duty to the places of their actual residence at time of appointment. Any employee who for the convenience of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands is transferred, promoted or otherwise reassigned from one duty station to another duty station within the Virgin Islands shall also be entitled to reimbursement as provided herein.
(b) Such expenses of travel and transportation, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, shall not be allowed until and unless the person selected for appointment shall agree in writing to remain in the Government Service for 12 months following his appointment, unless separated for reasons beyond his control and acceptable to the department concerned. In case of violation of such agreement any monies expended by the Government of the United States Virgin Islands shall be recoverable from the individual concerned as a debt due the Government.
(c) Expenses of return travel and transportation upon separation from the service shall be allowed whether such separation is for the purposes of Government or for personal convenience. Provided, that such expenses shall not be allowed unless such persons shall have served a minimum period of not less than one or more than three years prescribed in advance by the head of the department or agency concerned or unless separation is for reasons beyond the control of the individual and acceptable to the department or agency concerned.
(d) Expenses incurred hereunder shall not exceed $2,000 in any individual case unless approved by the Governor of the Virgin Islands.