By Clive Bacchus
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): More than 3000 workers in the tourism sector have now received training in COVID-10 prevention protocols and airport expect to complete the necessary infrastructure to safely welcome arrivals when the Federation’s borders reopen on October 31.
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, at his monthly press conference on Thursday (Oct 1) reported that 3458 workers in the hotel, hospitality and transport sectors have been exposed to training to what he described as the new norms for living and working safely in a COVID-19 environment.
” Chairman of SCASPA (The St Christopher Air and Seaports Authority), Mr. Damion Hobson has advised that works at our main airport the RLB International commenced on Monday, September 28th, 2020. The contractor, Baley Project Management has advised SCASPA that work will be completed not later than October 26th, 2020. The first phase of the work addresses the Welcome Centre on the ramp in front of the Arrivals area, converting the VIP Lounge into the Medical Screening area and constructing sneeze guards on the counters.
Dr. Harris said he had consulted with health experts who have been working with SCASPA on “plans to retrofit our airport for passenger movement in a manner that minimizes the risk of COVID-19 infection by our Frontline Workers at the airport, including our Immigration Officers, Customs Officers, and Taxi Operators.”
This is a most significant development; we have learned from the experience of others, faithfully taking the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and our own health experts and National Task Force. We can – with the support of all – take this major step to open our economy, and we can now do so while minimizing risks to our country.
The US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recently assessed the Federation’s Covid-19 risk as very low and designated it as “No Travel Notice” required, having had only 19 cases of the Coronavirus, no community spread and no deaths.
The City of New York includes St Kitts and Nevis among 31 countries that do not have to go through a quarantine process on arrival in that state.
