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Report Breaches Of COVID-19 Protocols
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Senator Lisa Cummins, ( pictured above ) is encouraging the public to report any occurrence of breaches of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ COVID-19 protocols.
Minister Cummins made this plea during a press conference held at Ilaro Court last evening.
“If you are concerned that a person who is on property is not wearing a mask, if you are concerned that a person who you know is in quarantine and is on property and is engaging in activity that they ought not to be, say something,” she advised
In addition, the Minister noted that persons must see reporting such acts as their role and duty “because we have a collective responsibility to keep our country and our people safe”.
Senator Cummins stated that the Ministries of Health and Tourism and the Barbados Hotel Tourism Association, as well as the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, led by Mr Ronald Chapman, have been going over what is required of properties housing visitors, especially those offering quarantine facilities, in an effort to ensure compliance by visitors.
“We are very confident that the Ministry of Health is going to ensure, through its COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, and through its enforcement mechanisms that the protocols are complied with…[and] has not failed to act when warranted,” Minister Cummins assured.
Turning to the issue of accommodation being seen as too pricey, she stated that on average, Barbados was receiving between 400 and 3000 visitors to the island daily, and hotel rates for the most part were heavily discounted.
“You would have most of the hotels who are charging at a rate that is sometimes in some instances 40 to 50 per cent below their normal rate, and that is very much in keeping with what we’re seeing across the industry in terms of tourism with hotels.”
Senator Cummins also reminded the public that many of the properties in the hotel sector had not earned any revenue for a total of 10 months, and Government had been calling on most of the hoteliers to reopen their properties to business, and to ensure that they reengage their workers.
She said there has to be a balance struck between what is a reasonable cost for a hotel or for any business to operate.
She added that across Barbados all categories in the hotel industry, both in the budget category and in the luxury high class, A-class hotels, rates are heavily discounted, and there is a wide range of options for persons at budget level to make a responsible choice for their accommodation while staying on the island.
sheena.forde-craigg@barbados.gov.bb
Health Of Barbadian Public Is Number One Priority
The Ministry of Tourism and all entities that fall under its remit, along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, are doing everything to ensure that locals and visitors are kept safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Senator Lisa Cummins, stressed this last evening, during a press conference held at Ilaro Court.
“One of the most important messages that we would want to share with Barbados today, above all else, we are supporting our economy; we are supporting our tourism industry, but we are not doing so, at the expense of the health of either our guests, or Barbadians.
“And certainly, from the Ministry of Tourism perspective, we are not filling beds in hotels at the expense of having to increase beds in our hospitals and beds in our isolation facilities. And we want to ensure that all of our guests feel fully confident that our health services and our health officials who are working 24 hours a day in service to you and in service to Barbadians, that we have your best interest and your health and well-being at heart, and we give that commitment to Barbados because that is who we are.”
Senator Cummins also disclosed that the Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Health on a number of matters, including putting plans in place to allow for a safe and efficient airport transition for passengers, in keeping with the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 protocols, as well as ensuring that persons who have their second test are accommodated as efficiently and safely as possible.
Noting that there have been some challenges in returning persons’ second PCR test results in the stipulated 24-hour turnaround time, Minister Cummins pointed out that the reason for some of those challenges had been identified, and gave the commitment that everything is being done to return test results in a reasonable time frame.
“We allow persons when they have completed their tests and completed their quarantine to then enter our wider community, having been given the assurance that they are COVID-19 negative,” she added.
