Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

VI’s reopening protocols ‘more accommodating’ than many destinations– Premier Fahie

Amid criticisms from some persons that the protocols for visitors to the Virgin Islands are too stringent and costly, Premier and Minister of Finance with the portfolio for Tourism, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said the protocols are actually 'more accommodating' than many countries. Photo: Facebook'
Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Carvin Malone (AL) said Government’s commitment remains 'doing whatever is possible to safely get our businesses back up and running and our people back into jobs'. Photo: Facebook
Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Carvin Malone (AL) said Government’s commitment remains 'doing whatever is possible to safely get our businesses back up and running and our people back into jobs'. Photo: Facebook
The Virgin Islands will begin to receive international visitors from December 1, 2020. Photo: VINO/File
The Virgin Islands will begin to receive international visitors from December 1, 2020. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Amid criticisms from some persons that the protocols for visitors to the Virgin Islands are too stringent, Premier and Minister of Finance with the portfolio for Tourism, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said the protocols are actually "more accomodating" than many countries.

During a press conference last night, October 28, 2020, Premier Fahie was at the time responding to critics who claimed that the stringent protocols that were revealed on Monday night, October 26, 2020, were driving potential tourists away.

Some of the measures include a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) prior to arrival, and within eight days, a total of three more tests would be done before visitors can be allowed to roam freely in the territory.

As it relates to the PCR test on the eighth day, Health and Social Development Minister Honourable Carvin Malone(AL) said it would be reviewed with the health experts.

Visitors would also need to have bracelets and other tracking device mechanisms that would enable the authorities to trace contacts if the need arises.

Protocols are to protect all

“There are positive and negative developments taking place around the world with COVID-19 and with the travel and tourism industries, and some of these things have implications for us in the BVI whether positive or negative. Your government’s commitment remains to doing whatever is possible to safely get our businesses back up and running and our people back into jobs,” he remarked.

“No one and no plight has been forgotten, those situations that have not yet been resolved are being worked on. We cannot afford for when we reopen for us to have an outbreak and then be forced, as many other countries have been to roll back or shut down. The protocols we announced last night are for the protection of our visitors, for our workers, for the public, and for our businesses and I ask that you give them a chance and in the areas of concern, please feel free to highlight them so that we can discuss and see the areas that are possible for any kind of adjustments,” he added.

VI’s protocols are good 

In the meantime, Premier Fahie said, the evidence is clear that there are countries that do not use adequate control measures experience a rise in COVID-19 infections because this is a science that we have to be guided by.

“Among the countries that are having better results through control measures, the evidence is also there that the BVI’s measures are more accommodating to visitors than that of many other destinations,” he pointed out.

Premier Fahie further explained: “In many of these destinations the quarantine period for COVID-19 negative visitors is 14 days. This means that the visitors are confined to the accommodation property, paying to do so for 14 days. The BVI’s methods facilitate some limited movements after four days in the territory and unrestricted movement after eight days of being in the territory. And again, we are willing to listen to you the people to be able to make adjustments where possible so that we do not compromise the health and safety of our people while doing so.”

In addition, the Premier mentioned that these destinations have PCR testing on arrival, and a second PCR test prior to the end of the quarantine period.

“The BVI’s inclusion of a test on day four helps in providing the assurance that it is safe to permit the visitors to do some limited movement. Most other jurisdiction do not have this,” he stated.

39 Responses to “VI’s reopening protocols ‘more accommodating’ than many destinations– Premier Fahie”

  • lol (28/10/2020, 08:13) Like (40) Dislike (13) Reply
    No it’s not. Tourist will rather go to other Caribbean islands with less protocols. Just open the place if people wear them mask they wouldn’t get it period
    • The watchman (28/10/2020, 09:20) Like (2) Dislike (15) Reply
      The only Caribbean Island that has less Protocol is St Bartts, the rest not playing around. Stop the rubbish too. Just yesterday evening a woman in Rite Breeze put on her mask to get in and had it around her chin talking to the cashier and not even behind the plexi. Who are we fooling here? When we can operate properly we can go forward. In St Bartts they French and they do not play, screw around you dead or in Africa in some cases.
      • Rubber Duck (28/10/2020, 10:35) Like (24) Dislike (1) Reply
        Puerto Rico. One Covid test before entry 5 days prior

        USVI One Covid test before entry 5 days prior

        St Maarten. One Covid test before entry 5 days prior

        Antigua One Covid test within 7 days prior to arrival

        Dominican Republic - breath test on arrival

        St Barts Covid test 3 days before arrival Further test on 8th day if staying longer than 7 days.

        St Lucia Test with 7 days of arrival. Not if coming from St Kitts etc


        Barbados. On line entry for and test within 3-7 days denying where you are coming from.
        • Dee Belonger (28/10/2020, 12:20) Like (5) Dislike (12) Reply
          Exactly! Name one Caribbean island country who is less strict than the BVI? They are going to bankrupt the territory and the U.K. is not going to bail us out kike the U.S. nails out theirs.
  • mehn (28/10/2020, 08:15) Like (16) Dislike (35) Reply
    Times like this funny man walwyn should’ve been premier
  • Agree (28/10/2020, 08:15) Like (8) Dislike (7) Reply
    It’s accommodating for tourists not island people
  • 1st District (28/10/2020, 08:24) Like (20) Dislike (3) Reply
    Covid has become more relevant than the cleaning of the roads. Bush are the homes of mosquitoes (Dengue) and we are dying from that than Covid. What is the present government doing NOTHING!! He say we don't have money, well he is best to explain that. I AM SICK AND FED UP WITH WHERE I FROM. Its ASHAME TO SEE THE WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOURIST INDUSTRY TO THE LIVELY HOOD OF OUR EXISTANCE!!
  • Rubber Duck (28/10/2020, 08:32) Like (23) Dislike (5) Reply
    Absolute non sense. It’s restrictive prison like conditions at high cost. No one is coming here when they can go to Puerto Rico, USVI, Antigua, St Lucia etc without paying through the nose to be treated like a criminal on remand.

    Close the borders and stop damaging our already pretty lousy reputation.
    • Rubber Duck (28/10/2020, 10:09) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      Or open them properly with one Covid test required.

      But don’t think that this opening the borders and encouraging tourists

      Because it’s not
  • USVI Leading in Tourism (28/10/2020, 08:42) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
    USVI has been managing just fine since their June 1 opening. One requirement, covid test within 5 days of arrival. They had a mild spike in July but are now very low and hospitals were never crowded or overburdened. They have had well over 25,000 visitors since July alone. Many charter companies and other businesses have already moved to the USVI and left the BVI. With this current plan many more will leave and NO tourists will come and be subjected to the horrible treatment of 4 nasal swab over 8 days of confinement. There are many other options in the Caribbean such as Antigua and the Bahamas in addition to the USVI where travel is SAFE and much less restrictive. BVI should just stay closed until they are ready to get with the program.
    • I credit the Premier.. (28/10/2020, 09:21) Like (3) Dislike (21) Reply
      He lusten the people and agree to make some adjustments to the plan,...The first good step of a good human is to openly admit that they are not perfect and wwill mistakes and willing to listen and make changes....
    • Deaths (28/10/2020, 16:25) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
      And how many deaths has the USVI had compared to the BVI? Lives were saved let that sink in.
  • good (28/10/2020, 09:01) Like (9) Dislike (16) Reply
    God forbid we have a major surge in cases and people start dying. Then it will be a different out cry.
    Do what you have to do to keep us safe premier. Who can’t abide then Stay away. People’s health comes first. Not money.
    • Winston (28/10/2020, 09:50) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
      Obviously you are either retired with wealth or work for Government.
      • ausar (29/10/2020, 03:39) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
        You're so right, "Winston"!

        The majority of bloggers here work for government, and/or are probably rich, hence their statements are justified.

        It's sad that tourism here has been brought to a screeching halt until March of next year!
    • High Flu Season. (28/10/2020, 10:10) Like (11) Dislike (3) Reply
      What happen to the Flu its now turn into Corona virus,..Since in May these wicked Doctors and WHO who are on B. Gates payroll told us that we will have a spike coming in to the winter season. Why? And how they know? Because its the Flu season .. So, The millions of Flu cases and the hundreds of thousands of flu death annually will now be Corina death...They recover in the warm weather in the Caribbean.....Its a set up..
  • Do everyone a favor (28/10/2020, 09:06) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    The damage is done. The tourist season for the BVI is done even before it started for this Season because of POOR PLANNING. No one is going to sit in a hotel for 8 days under house arrest.
  • rewrsdffds (28/10/2020, 09:19) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    So after all tht money you still have to pay for accomadation?
  • nope (28/10/2020, 09:29) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    What he doesn't understand is that today is 28 October with borders opening 1 December and we still have no idea which hotels/resorts are deemed 'safe' for visitors, no information at all. All we hear is coming soon! No fixed cost for testing, tracing, no information, no website, no PR campaign, NOTHING! So you think people are going to book a vacation within 4 weeks without vital concrete information? Even though some other islands have long quarantine periods their requirements can be found and are detailed. Further, many of those places have top full service resorts where you can utilize all amenities during the quarantine period. What are persons in Tortola to do, quarantine in lambert or at Marias and watch the govt complex all day? It's apples to rocks trying to compare. People will go elsewhere because other places have CONCRETE INFORMATION not flip flopping!
  • The watchman (28/10/2020, 09:30) Like (22) Dislike (3) Reply
    4 days goes against the Science. 5 days to show symptoms for those that show symptoms and 14 days or so to clear. Most Caribbean Islands are only allowing free movement from the "Civid Free" bubble there are still isolation, monitoring, and quarantine protocols with very strict monitoring in some. People should stop spreading rumors that they are open and full blast with nothing being done.
  • Soo if (28/10/2020, 09:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Those are the protocals then why does the businesses have to go to colllege to get covid free certificate to operate etc etc. They would have no covid positive persons to deal with all those protocals. Can workers return with those protocals too??
  • Irony (28/10/2020, 09:55) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    For a country with so many churches and parishioners, it is stunning to see how many people are completely TERRIFIED to observe simple precautions and live their life with faith that everything will be okay. COVID is certainly dangerous, but the panic that is paralyzing this country needs to cease. These new protocols are going to negatively impact the lives of many BVIlanders for many, many years to come. There will be a flood of locals (myself included) that will wind up needing to sell their homes and other property in order to get by. When this happens who do you think will be the ones purchasing? Hint: it won’t be us locals. We are being displaced in our own country by our own government.
  • we the people (28/10/2020, 11:01) Like (5) Dislike (15) Reply
    Premier thank you and your team. Don’t mind the political bloggers. We travel too and we read the news around the world. What we are doing is far less restrictive than most and those who are being slack well you see the rise in cases - look at Bahamas and others.

    Let there be a serious increase in cases when the borders open and our protocols are slack - Premier they will then by all over you especially if there are deaths as well.

    It’s unfortunate that some people don’t understand that we are dealing with a pandemic and things will have to be done differently for a while.



    • 1st District (28/10/2020, 11:54) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      You need to go under a rock and stay there. When the tourist stop coming, your hand out stops too. Go do the research!
    • rewrsdffds (28/10/2020, 15:37) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Do you know that it takes Some people 2-3 days to get here And they don't have 40 vacations days like some if allu government workers, they come 95% of the time for 7 days (Sunday - Sunday)
  • PT009 (28/10/2020, 11:43) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Honorable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said the protocols are actually "more accommodating" than many countries. That is Bull I have checked many Caribbean Islands and we are less accommodating than most Islands.
  • Death Warrant (28/10/2020, 12:17) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    The truth is, 99% of the bookings, both on land and on shore, in the BVI are for 7 days or fewer. The Hon. Premier was being flippant and disingenuous last night when he said it wasn't his fault that tourists made their bookings before they knew what the rules would be.
  • True (28/10/2020, 12:32) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    The same people who are complaining have to go through worse in their own island. A young lady who went to her mother’s funeral was put in a hotel for five days without food after paying a hefty price for hotel accommodation. That happened in SVG.
    Tell the haters to sit and be quiet.
  • NICK (28/10/2020, 12:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Simply no true Mr Premier. Wheel and come again.
  • Fools! (28/10/2020, 13:44) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    BVI people are some fools. I cannot for the life of me understand why persons are acting as though this is a BVI problem. Covid 19 is affecting EVERYONE world wide! Persons that booked flights and vacations before hearing the protocols are IDIOTS! I said it! If the BVI announced they will be opening, you wait until you hear the rules first. You don’t just book stupidly ESPECIALLY knowing we are facing a PANDEMIC and then blame the Government! You are even more of a fool to think the BVI announced an opening & the place would be wide open for people to come and go as they please. Of course there would be stipulations in place.. My 3 yr old know this!



    • Splainin’ (29/10/2020, 00:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      The Hon Premier is the Minister for Tourism. If he is the head of our government and is in direct control of all things tourism, then how CAN’T he accept responsibility for announcing that our borders would be re opening and then wait several weeks before releasing the protocols? To make things worse, they actually spent money creating and promoting an ad campaign that listed none of the requirements to enter so it’s easy to see how people would feel taken advantage of in this situation. For the head of our territory to make such a statement while sitting as the Minister for Tourism really is a slap in the face to our most loyal visitors.
  • island man (28/10/2020, 15:39) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Bvi can't wait u guys will b left behind am in antigua and it has been open up since july and the planes a filled every day with ppl coming in . There are tourist from every where entering even residents from b.v.i staying here. B.V.I just like all other caribbean islands will just have to learn to live with this virus
  • Heckler (28/10/2020, 16:30) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    These cats just hammered the last nail in the coffin before burying the 2020/2021 Tourism season
  • O Boy (28/10/2020, 20:52) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    some people just sick in their minds all I can say to the primer just keep on doing what is right God bless you
  • no way (28/10/2020, 21:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I get it. The govt is concerned about disease and each country has the right to set their own regulations. I and nobody I know would be subjected to this or anything close just to travel. I guess BVI will find out if others feel the same way. Importance has to be placed on tourism or concerns for other things . BVI has placed concerns for other things, maybe rightly so, only time will tell. I wish luck as we traveled there and it's a beautiful place. Would love to return but not under these conditions.
  • sorry (29/10/2020, 04:29) Like (35) Dislike (0) Reply
    evey country have the right to set they rules and also keep their own people safe it is not only money some of these people that are writing are not even tourist stop lying and trying to make it look like we are the worst I work in the hotel industry for many years will like to go back to work we also have to be careful the quest like to interact with the staff so we need to know that they are ok the negative test they are going to come with is alright but still they need to have a nother text some times that is when it shows up our country is too small we can't handle a out break we can't get careless we love the tourists and we have to love our self everything works out good to them that love god he is going to look after us trust him our premier did not cost this thank you


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.