CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Antigua
The Antigua and Barbuda government
has begun the COVID-19 vaccination
process for frontline workers in the
tourism industry.
More than 2,000 hospitality professionals
across the twin-island nation,
including hotel workers, tour operators,
restaurant and retail employees were
recently vaccinated.
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism
Authority Chief Executive
Officer, Colin
James said, “The continued
health and
safety of our tourism
workers remain a priority
for us as we welcome visitors
safety to our destination and prepare for
a strong tourism rebound when travel
restrictions ease within the next few
months in our key source markets.”
Additionally, 473 persons from the
airline community recently received
their first doses of the AstraZeneca
vaccine at the VC Bird International
Airport.
Barbados
Scores of Barbadians took advantage
of the walk-in COVID-19 vaccination
centers at St. Paul’s Primary School
and the Barbados Landship Dock in St.
Michael.
However, coordinator of the National
COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign, Dr.
Elizabeth Ferdinand said they would be
refocusing their efforts on reducing the
backlog of appointments.
“We had to suspend
the appointment system
because we wanted
to clear the backlog
and be up-to-date, so
we will be introducing a new appointment
system within a week or two. And
next week we will be concentrating on
those who registered already but have
not had their vaccines,” she said.
Coordinator of the campaign, Major
David Clarke of the Barbados Defense
Force said the areas were chosen after
the Ministry of Health carried out
intense COVID-19 testing.
He said the Ministry of Health had
identified the areas that should be used
as vaccination sites.
Caribbean
Tourist arrivals to the Caribbean fell
by 65.5 percent in 2020 according to
the Caribbean Tourism Organization
(CTO), but it is forecasting a turnaround
this year.
In a statement recently released, the
CTO said the impact of COVID – 19 on
the travel and tourism industry was
particularly evident during the period
of April to mid-June, when there was literally
no activity in some destination.
“This was characterized by empty
Caribbean L 4 ife, MAR. 26-APR. 1, 2021
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A demonstrator holds up a copy of the Constitution of the Republic of Haiti as he takes part in a protest against Haiti’s President
Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Feb. 14, 2021. REUTERS/Jeanty Junior
hotels and restaurants, deserted attractions,
shut borders, laid-off workers
grounded airlines and crippled cruise
lines,” the statement said.
It said cruise lines
plying Caribbean
routes remain nonoperational
owing to a
strict ban imposed by
the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
The CTO noted that with government
restrictions both in the Caribbean
and globally, reducing and, in
many cases, preventing travel for large
periods of time, tourists arrivals to the
region in 2020 fell to just over 11 million,
a decline of 65.5 percent compared
to the record 32 million tourist visits
in 2019.
The organization said a period of virtually
no tourism began in mid-March,
and the second quarter was the worst
performing with arrivals down by 97.3
percent. Tourists began visiting again
in June as the sector began to re-open.
Guyana
President Irfaan Ali said Guyana
should receive 5,000 doses of Russia’s
Sputnik 5 COVID-19 vaccine shortly.
This, he said, would directly come from
Moscow.
In an address to the nation on the situation
with Covid-19 vaccines, Ali said
discussions have been held with Moscow
on the supply of 300,000 doses but
supply chain matters are a problem.
He also announced
that discussions have
been held with a group
in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) for the
supply of 200,000 doses of the Sputnik 5
vaccine and 50,000 doses could be delivered
in about two weeks time and similar
tranches in the ensuing fortnights
until the supply figure is met.
The President said Guyana had been
promised 108,000 Covid vaccine doses
from the World Health Organization’s
COVAX mechanism in the first quarter
of the year but there had been no word
from the organization on this supply.
Ali said discussions have also been
initiated with China’s Sinopharm for
200,000 does and India for 400,000
doses of its indigenously developed vaccine,
Covaxin.
He said there have also been discussions
with the African Union platform.
Haiti
President Jovenel Moise has asked the
Organization of American States (OAS)
for assistance to deal with the security
crisis in Haiti, days after the death of
four police officers in a
botched raid.
Moise asked for the
help when he met with
OAS Secretary General
Luis Almargo to discuss security.
The president said during their discussions
he asked the organization
for technical support for the National
Police of Haiti (PNH) in order to fight
effectively against banditry and terrorism.
The discussions came on the same
day an extraordinary Council of Ministers
met at the National Palace and
adopted a decree to devise state of
emergency legislation to give the
Supreme Council of the National Police
the means to combat banditry and
crime, and to empower the PNH and
the Armed Forces of Haiti to work in
synergy to combat insecurity.
A government statement said this
decree allows the competent authorities
to mobilize any external support
Continued on Page 14
THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
Haiti’s president appeals for help
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