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Cruise Ships allowed! Travel bubble will be in place

- Cruise ship arrivals expected to resume in next two weeks
The Virgin Islands will be welcoming cruise calls to its shores in a couple of weeks, now that amendments have been made to make entry easier for cruise ship passengers. Photo: VINO/File
Premier and Finance Minister Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said amendments to travel protocols for cruise ship passengers were made following feedback from the industry stakeholders and health officials. Photo: Facebook
Premier and Finance Minister Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said amendments to travel protocols for cruise ship passengers were made following feedback from the industry stakeholders and health officials. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The Virgin Islands will be welcoming cruise calls to its shores in a couple of weeks, now that amendments have been made to make entry easier for cruise ship passengers.

Premier and Finance Minister Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the amendments were made following feedback from the industry stakeholders and health officials.

“In considering all the facts, all the information, and the advice received, Cabinet met on Wednesday 1st September 2021 and agreed to a revised policy for amending the arrival testing requirement for cruise tourism. In arriving at the revised policy, your government has consulted with stakeholders, and we have considered the practical aspects as well as customer experience which is critical for successful operation of our tourism industry,” he declared during a live press conference on Friday, September 3, 2021.

He said the Cabinet decided on September 1, 2021, as follows: (a.) to amend statutory instrument no.67 of 2021 COVID-19 Control and Suppression Entry of Persons no.3 amendment 12th June 2021, to remove the requirement for rapid testing for fully vaccinated cruise ship passengers and crew visiting the territory for less than 24 hours, subject to enhanced COVID-19 protocols including passengers bubbles and enhanced COVID-19 monitoring and enforcement.

He also said that there would be a task force headed by the Director of Tourism to develop, implement and enforce a cruise ship bubble operation plan and to report its contents to Cabinet in one week.

Bubble

Hon Fahie said another area approved by Cabinet was for passengers to operate within and outside bubbles.

He said cruise passengers and crew members, who are fully vaccinated and have produced a negative rapid test within 24 hours of arrival in the Virgin Islands, would not be subject to the bubble protocol and would be allowed to move freely within the territory.

“Cabinet also agreed that cruise ship passengers wishing not to be part of the bubble and be allowed to move freely within the territory would be subject to an approved rapid test with results available within five minutes,” he said.

Report COVID-19 cases, illness

As a matter of precaution, Premier Fahie said Cabinet decided that all cruise ships, prior to entering the VI and being cleared to berth at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park (CBRTPP) or any other designated anchorage at one of the sister islands must report any passengers onboard the ship who are ill, especially with COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive prior to arrival.

He said the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA), the BVI Tourist Board (BVITB), the Taxi and Livery Commission, Environmental Health Division, along with other government agencies, will be tasked to ensure that all government protocols are adhered to by all disembarking passengers, taxi operators, all business operators especially those at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park.

He noted that the BVITB, in collaboration with the BVIPA, must develop and implement a vigorous public relations campaign to heighten the vigilance of the public and to keep them informed.

Testing

The territory’s leader said another Cabinet decision was in the area of bi-weekly testing for frontline workers.

These workers include all taxi operators and businesses, and government agencies that interact with the passengers and crews of the ships who participated in the bubble or free flow.

He said the government will pay for the rapid tests for an initial three-month period.

Hon Fahie said Cabinet also agreed that the Ministry of Health and Social Development instruct the Attorney General Chambers to draft the amendment to statutory instrument no.67 of 2021 COVID-19 Control and Suppression entry of persons no. 3 amendment.

14 Responses to “Cruise Ships allowed! Travel bubble will be in place”

  • You for real (03/09/2021, 18:05) Like (7) Dislike (7) Reply
    Please this is a recipe for disaster and you know it. First of all how is it gonna be possible to test every two weeks at your own expense. This only creates more confusion in a catastrophic mess. Mr. Premier you are being had by the Cruise Industry, eventually the CHIP developed by the Pentagon will be presented as the best alternative and will become a campaign like the vaccine. The BIG question is are we willing and able to make the sacrifice that is necessary to unplug from this madness.
  • Same for us (03/09/2021, 18:52) Like (12) Dislike (14) Reply
    Fully Vax BVIlanders and residents abroad should have the same previlidge when they returning home, just jump on a plane have your fully vax card and your 4 days old covid test to present at the airport and thats it....All this online crap waiting and holding on for days, done with that....Anyhow, I like this Cruise ship move. We making things happen....Time to live in a responsible way..

    • @Same for us (04/09/2021, 08:29) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      All you need to do is jump on a cruise ship coming Tola and you will get home …
  • bvi (03/09/2021, 19:37) Like (15) Dislike (11) Reply
    Here was go again cases will surly go up and they will again blame it on unvaccinated people just like the last time
  • ? (03/09/2021, 20:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ??
  • money money money (03/09/2021, 22:42) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    Pants down mask down. Covid in.
  • Hotter (03/09/2021, 23:22) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Well, it's clear this premier has now bowed down for money rather than safety for his people. God is far from these deceivers of this land and is evident. andrew is a sell out
    • @Hotter Outsider (04/09/2021, 08:09) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
      The BVI is BROKE and he is trying to bring in as much money as he can. Desperate times calls for desperate moves. Look at how much of the Country money went down the drain.
  • vick (04/09/2021, 08:21) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    this is a good news for all the wood shops of the island as we will need a lot of coffins very soon.delta variant is coming,get ready unvaccinated folks.
  • Taximan Testing? (04/09/2021, 08:37) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hahhahaha biggest joke I see in the whole article. Ain no taxi men gonna be testing every two weeks. This will never be organized and wont happen at all. As usual this VIP govt is bought and paid for.
  • Artificial crisis (04/09/2021, 09:55) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    According to the BVIPA website the 462 passenger Seabourn Odyssey berths at the TPP twice this month. 5 cruise ships are scheduled to visit in October with the Norwegian Gem being the largest with 3000+ passengers arriving on 7 Oct. So the BVI has the month of September to practice it's new entry plans, procedures and protocols for arriving cruise passengers. It appears that the cruise ship drama this past week was simply an artificial crisis fabricated by the VIP. Don't forget that 4 cruise ship visits were scheduled in July but only 1 ship actually showed up at the dock here!
  • Crs (04/09/2021, 12:42) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    If cases were stock or crypto I’d buy now before the spike.


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