‘Keeping B’dos safe critical to tourism’s survival’

Tourism authorities here are suggesting that if Barbadians got vaccinated and complied with the COVID-19 protocols, the country would not have to worry about how global travel measures could impact their lives.

The declaration was made on Thursday by Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins in response to plans by the British government to overhaul its travel traffic light system that determines which countries its citizens should visit and under what conditions particularly during the current coronavirus pandemic.

“Barbadians have to be committed to keeping Barbados safe for all starting with other Barbadians. Then we will have fewer worries when there are discussions about traffic light systems and their impact on us as a destination,” Minister Cummins told Barbados TODAY.

“We have to convince more Barbadians to do the right thing and consider getting vaccinated, to wear their masks and practice social distancing. Too many of those things are not happening. This is a case where if you want the results you have to put in the work,” she insisted.

A BBC report has said that the traffic light overhaul could mean that green and amber categories maybe removed and replaced with a new system.

The report said that system would allow vaccinated travellers to go to countries with similarly high levels of vaccination as the UK, without the need for quarantine.

It said the red category, which is for countries that the government says should not be visited, will remain.

Under current restrictions, countries in the “red” category are flagged as destinations not to be visited “except in the most extreme of circumstances” and travellers returning from them must self-isolate for 10 days in a government-approved hotel.

The British government declined to comment on the plans but said: “Our international travel policy is guided by one overwhelming priority – protecting public health.

“The next formal checkpoint review will take place by 1 October 2021.”

The Barbados tourism minister said that other markets will make decisions based on their own unique circumstances “and those decisions may benefit or disadvantage us”.

“We are at a further disadvantage if we aren’t doing the right things here at home and then baulking when the economic situation isn’t what we want it to be.”

Minister Cummins said that at this time, she is hoping to see more travel from the UK and by extension, Europe.

“But I’m clear that the UK will make its own decisions that balance their domestic considerations or lives versus livelihoods and we continue to work closely with them in a number of areas. The good thing for us is that the majority of visitors we are seeing out of the UK are vaccinated and that has its own benefits,” she stated.

Senator Cummins is of the view that the most important thing right now is for Barbados to focus on what it can do locally to ensure that Barbados is as safe as possible so people can have some segment of their lives back.

“Tourism is the most severely-impacted sector of the COVID 19 pandemic and it is a delicate policy-making balancing act for every single Government. The UK just like Barbados has to make decisions that balance lives and livelihoods while being guided by the science and the resulting ability to get thousands of people back to work,“ the minister argued.

“There are so many people in Barbados who need us to be able to benefit from that increased travel so that they can get back to work and support their families,” she contended.

Those she listed who stood to benefit include craft vendors, farmers,  beach chair vendors and water sports operators.

“Even the retail stores in local malls depend on travel taking place from our major markets because the people who visit us shop with them right along with the people who are still unemployed or underemployed,” Minister Cummins added.
(emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)