Borders to reopen on October 1
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Minister of Tourism has announced that cruise vessels would be allowed to return to St. Kitts and Nevis beginning in June, while the full reopening of borders to international travellers would be on October 1.
Those announcements were made yesterday (Apr. 14) by Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant while addressing stakeholders at a meeting of tourism industry representatives at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel.
During his speech, the Minister explained that with all things being equal, the Government is resuming cruising in just over a month, but that would be dependent on when the United States-based Center for Disease gives the approval for ships to sail again.
Currently, a no sail order has remained in place for all vessels sailing from the United States; however, Florida’s Governor Ron De Santos has sued the Federal Government to have that order lifted, and if successful it would mean vessels can sail much earlier.
“So, that is, within the next month, month and a half, cruises will begin in St. Kitts and Nevis,” Grant disclosed.
The reopening of the cruise sector will be done in a phased approach, meaning that there would only be few selected vessels that would be able to make calls to Port Zante or in Charlestown.
Minister Grant submitted that it would not be business as usual when it comes to June’s resumption, as the new approach would be any cruise line that ports in the Federation, all crew members and passengers must be vaccinated before they are allowed to enter.
“Obviously, it means that likewise, we are going to have to be vaccinated,” the Minister explained. “And so the police going forward for us will be that anybody purveyors of the industry will have to be vaccinated. Which means that if you’re a tour operator you will have to be sanctioned by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, and all the members of the team who work in the industry and who will come into contact with those individuals who are on the cruise ship will have to be vaccinated.”
With all persons in the sector being urged to take the vaccine, the Minister clarified that there is no mandatory order that gives that directive. However, all who don’t take the vaccine would have to deal with the expense of having to pay for the tests every two weeks out of their pocket.
“We are saying to you that as a policy, we are asking the employers to make sure that the employers are vaccinated and that every single employee who will come into contact with the passengers and the crew are likewise vaccinated,” added Grant.
The Minister maintained that they are not expecting to get one million passengers for the season, but rather some amount that would give them local economy activity that would benefit those who were affected by the pause within the industry.
Meanwhile, the Government has set October 1 as the reopening date for the country to allow for more stayover visitors, and that is dependent on the Federation achieving its goals and objectives when it comes to the inoculation target and herd immunity.
Late last year, the Federation reopened its borders to commercial activities since the onset of the pandemic, but anyone entering has to submit a negative PCR test result taken at least three days prior to arrival into the country.
With the setting of the new target date, persons travelling would have to be inoculated before they are allowed to enter without being quarantined.
