Get vaccinated or no work permit

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - PREMIER Mark Brantley has sent a strong warning to foreign nationals residing on Nevis that they must get vaccinated or no renewal of documents, such as work permits and residence status.
 
That announcement came on Wednesday (Apr. 28) while he was addressing reporters at his monthly press conference in Nevis,  where it was disclosed that the island has so far only seen a vaccination rate of 36 percent,with a similar percentage being reported at the national level.
 
Acknowledging that the world is still struggling with the COVID-19 Pandemic and with only 2,972 people being vaccinated on Nevis, that number is nowhere the island needs to be at this time as the Federation has eyed reopening of the cruise industry in June, and the full reopening of borders by October.
 
“It means that we have some work to do,” Brantley said.
 
It is against that backdrop why he stated those persons must show proof of inoculation.
 
“What we have now decided is anyone seeking a work permit or residency or seeking to renew a work permit or their residency, will have to present evidence that they have been vaccinated,” Brantley said, adding, “We feel that this is a reasonable measure to take in the circumstances just as persons seeking a work permit and residency have to submit evidence that they are free of tuberculosis and syphilis.”
 
He told reporters that the daily vaccination rate has not been encouraging due to an element of vaccine hesitancy.

To this end, he reiterated the call for persons to get vaccinated and see it as a measure of protection for themselves and their families.
 
“The vaccine enables us to get back in a meaningful way to work,” Brantley added.