JHTA wants all travellers arriving in Ja to show negative COVID-19 test results
The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is calling for all Jamaican and foreign travellers coming into the island to produce negative COVID-19 test results on arrival and better enforcement of safety protocols across the country.
“These measures are essential if Jamaica is to quell the spread of the disease,” a JHTA release quotes President Clifton Reader.
He was responding to the Government’s announcement of new curfew hours from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am daily, until February 24, 2021.
“Clearly,” he said, “the plan is designed to reduce the amount of time for people to congregate, but we have seen where in spite of curfews there is a prevailing level of indiscipline that is fuelling community spread. Some persons are disregarding curfews, many are not wearing masks and not observing gathering limits. They are continually taking risks and placing their family, friends and communities in jeopardy. We can’t expect to quell the spread of the COVID-19 here if this continues.”
He said it was imperative that the Jamaican authorities insist that all travellers to the island produce negative COVID-19 test results no older than five days on arrival, or pay to be tested at any of the country’s international airports.
“We have been working very hard in the tourism sector to protect our teams, families and communities. We have been requiring tourists to comply with all of our health and safety strictures and thankfully, to date, we have had no reports of COVID-19 transmission from tourist to hotel worker or vice versa. Now we must insist that Jamaicans coming into the island also observe the same strict procedures and processes,” Reader said.
Noting that the JHTA members were serious about enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols within their hotels and in the Resilient Corridors, Reader said that the JHTA COVID-19 Ambassadors Programme is expanding its reach across the island, lending expertise in COVID-19 education programmes in several communities.
The “ambassadors”, who are employees of various Jhta-member hotels trained in COVID-19 safety protocols, will be going into communities armed with thousands of masks, sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, for distribution.
“Our JHTA COVID-19 ambassadors will be out in their numbers in the coming weeks, as we contribute to measures to help save lives. This indiscipline, lack of enforcement and lack of personal responsibility has got to stop,” Reader said.