BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS many countries around the world continue to see a spike in COVID-19 cases, many of them are tourism source markets for St. Kitts and Nevis and other OECS territories.
That spike has prompted the Heads of Government Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to make an urgent call to the governments and other stakeholders of the tourism source markets to work in putting proper testing measures before travellers depart their originating ports.
The call comes against the backdrop of statements made by London Heathrow Chief Executive Officer John Holland-Kaye, who suggested that air travel should continue but testing should be done on all travellers before they depart the UK.
According to the OECS, subregional Heads have seen the remarks made by the Head of the London Heathrow Airport today (Sept. 29) warning that the UK Aviation could suffer the same fate as London Docks if air travel could not resume in volume before a COVID vaccine is found.
Holland-Kaye, in a conversation with Travel Weekly, warned of a catastrophe for UK Aviation, including the potential demise of British Airways, if air travel is not resumed.
“His recommendation and solution are for the consideration of testing at the UK airports to ensure that all travellers are COVID free and to allow such persons freedom to travel.
“While the OECS Authority is concerned about the prediction, we are heartened by the call which strengthens our own efforts internationally in seeking the establishment of PCR testing facilities at airports to ensure that every traveller is tested, and only persons who are deemed to be COVID-free will be allowed to board and travel. We have been lobbying the governments of our major tourism source markets as well as the major airlines with flights to the Caribbean to work with us in the establishment of a rigorous testing regime to facilitate the reopening of safe air travel to the Caribbean,” the OECS noted.
Several territories have allowed for travel from what is described as hotspots, such as the United States and Europe, but have not seen increasing cases.
For St. Kitts and Nevis’ part, the Government confirmed through the last Statutory Rules and Orders that borders would remain closed, at least until October 18 when the latest order expires.
Anyone currently entering St. Kitts and Nevis must have a negative PCR test and subject themselves to a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a government facility.
“Discussions with an international company should be concluded this week and we expect that this will result in the establishment of PCR testing facilities at all source airports as well as cruise and ferry ports to the Caribbean. This will ensure that only travellers who are COVID-free are allowed to board and will remove the need for quarantine on arrival.
“We are seeking to move quickly to facilitate safer travel for the tourism high season in October. The Anglophone Caribbean has had a strong record of effective management of the pandemic to date with among the lowest infection rates in the world and are seeking to address the severe economic contraction in our tourism-dependent economies while ensuring the protection of our people as well as our visitors,” the OECS said.
