Scores of Jamaicans are packing their bags in anticipation of a flight home on Saturday after being stranded in Barbados for up to four months – in some cases with dwindling finances and scarce supplies.
On Thursday and Friday, the Caribbean Airlines office at Norman Centre was a hive of activity as UWI Cave Hill students, CARICOM skilled nationals, and other Jamaican visitors waited for hours to purchase their tickets.
The UWI campuses in Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica are reportedly coordinating the trip, which will allow citizens of each country to get home on the three-legged journey.
One woman who only identified as a “relieved Jamaican” said her two-week visit to Barbados for a job interview was extended by three months when Covid-19 fears resulted in border closures across the region. Since then, the stranded hospitality professional was among dozens of fellow citizens pleading for their government to intervene.
Reacting to the positive news, which broke just days ago, she said: “Honestly I have not slept since Wednesday and I am usually a heavy sleeper…. because I am just so anxious about the possibility of getting home. The emotions are just overwhelming. The frustration, the anxiety, the suffering, the heartache and loneliness are finally coming to an end and the only thing we can think about is boarding that flight at 5:15 tomorrow,” said the emotional Jamaican.
“Different people have had different experiences, but I have nothing but good things to say about the people of Barbados. Everybody has been very nice. The landlord was very accommodating about my request to renegotiate when the money was not available and she has been amazing,” she added.
Also on the flight are 26 UWI Cave Hill students including Guild of Students’ President, Thacher Loutin, who has been working tirelessly to assist students and fellow Jamaicans that fell on hard times.
Though overjoyed at the prospect of returning home, Loutin expressed some dissatisfaction with the imposition of a penalty fee on travellers whose return tickets had been cancelled by Caribbean Airlines in March.
“They were told that there would be no penalty, but upon arriving here, they had to pay the penalty, which is not in accordance with what was communicated to the students before,” she explained.
“Those who did not have a return ticket were asked to pay a fee of $1200 for this trip, and we understand, because the flight is not normal. But I am a bit disgruntled about how Caribbean Airlines facilitated the students who already had tickets,” the Guild President complained.
Efforts to secure comment from CAL officials on these and other issues were unsuccessful.
Despite the misunderstanding, she says the students’ only priority is getting home by any means necessary and all other issues are secondary.
“It has been difficult and there were times when the students became depressed. There were times when we ran out of resources and so we are very elated to be going home today, because having to stay after May 19th, which was the return date for most of us resulted in more accommodation fees, more rent, and more groceries. So we are very elated,” Loutin added.
Kington’s Honorary Council to Bridgetown, Ella Hoyos revealed that a list of approximately 100 stranded Jamaicans had been presented to her office, but she could not confirm whether they would all be leaving.
Hoyos expressed her gratitude to corporate entities like The Crane Hotel and Jamaica 246 restaurant as well as members of the Jamaican diaspora living in Barbados for stepping beyond the call of duty to assist their stranded citizens.
Saturday’s flight leaves Barbados at 5:15 p.m. and arrives at 7 p.m Jamaica time. After landing, the students will be tested at the Norman Manley airport in Kingston, after which they will undergo 14 days home-quarantine as Barbados is considered a low-risk territory for possible Covid-19 spread by Jamaican authorities.
The group of Jamaicans has been asked to arrive at the airport four hours before departure due to additional safety measures.
“Passengers will be required to wear face masks throughout their entire journey from check-in, at the gate and onboard the aircraft,” the Port of Spain-based airline said in a statement.
“The airline continues to enforce the most stringent hygiene practices, adhering to all the current international guidelines, to combat Covid-19,” the statement added. (KS)
