The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has begun operating a regional ‘travel bubble’ as part of efforts to resuscitate the travel and tourism sectors, which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a statement from Barbados’ Ambassador to Caricom, David Comissong, the travel bubble took effect on Friday, September 18.
The initiative includes Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, states that currently satisfy the criteria agreed upon at a Special Emergency Caricom Heads of Government Meeting.
Other member states and associate members will be allowed to participate when they meet the criteria, the statement added.
The defining feature of a COVID-19 Travel Bubble is that persons entitled to participate in the Travel Bubble are not required to take COVID-19 tests nor to undergo a period of quarantine in order to travel to countries that are within the Bubble.
These measures, approved by the Caricom heads of government based on a study by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which provided recommendations on how the bubble would operate, and laid out the eligibility criteria for countries to participate.
The recommendations included that countries would be categorised ranging from those with no cases to those which had low, medium, high and very high risk with respect to the rate of positive cases over a 14-day period; the level of risk would be determined by the amount of positive cases per 100,000 of the population within a 14-day period; only those countries with no cases and those in the low risk category would be allowed to participate in the bubble; and CARPHA will assess relevant data to advise on participation in the bubble.
Caricom leaders acknowledged at the September 11 meeting that the last six months have been very challenging globally and regionally due to the pandemic and the severe damages caused to the travel and tourism sector.
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Caricom:What do they stand for?What do they really do as a group?One of the things that is happening.The Nationals from 2 Caricom Countries are infiltrating the Nation of Antigua and Barbuda.You the people could figured that out.Then you have all of those from the Dominican Republic/Santo Domingo.They have a never ending amnesty in place.Along with their citizens by ancestry,bull dung.When I were a little boy in Antigua.A few men from Antigua went to Santo Domingo to reap sugar cane.Perhaps they had a few children there.Now those children and their children have multiplied more so than termites.There are thousands of them living in Antigua.They have been using that loop hole.Citizen by Ancestry to get citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda.What a racket.What a Bobol.I am expecting that loop hole to be closed and be revisited.Because it out of line and needs to straightened out,now.That is one of the ways those Politicians stacked the deck to win an Election.
Black-Man, I too have asked this question over the years.
Is CARICOM really needed?
Is CARICOM really serious about Caribbean Integration?
Do they have a plan to make it a reality?
How long have they been trying?.
It took years for the CARICOM skilled certificate to be enacted and accepted by all member states………………….years!!!!!!!!!
Its shocking how CARICOM has turned its back on a major Caribbean institution that has the responsibility to facilitate a main reason WHY CARICOM was formed. Caribbean Integration and free movement of professionals across its member states.
CARICOM has turned their back on LIAT. Its shocking, Its disturbing, its disapointing its a damn shame.
Who is next on the chopping block? UWI?
The solution is this. CARICOM needs top take over LIAT. All members will have service air commensurate to there needs and according to number of passengers loads. All members will contribute to the annual budget of LIAT along this air service requirements also. It is apparent that ANY airline who takes on the challenge of connecting the CARICOME members states will have to be subsidized.
No other airline will do it at a loss.
Time will tell as CARICOM waits for other airlines to take up where LIAT left off and one morning they will wake up and realize that NO one has OR will.
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