COVID-19 Task Force okays return of 103 Guyanese

-but sets conditions

Guyana’s National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has given the greenlight for some 103 Guyanese citizens stranded overseas to return home but has set a number of conditions.

This announcement was made yesterday following a virtual meeting of the NCTF where they considered the applications of a number of Guyanese overseas along with the review of the emergency measures after June 3rd in relation to the possible phased re-opening of the economy and airspace. It said that further deliberations are required on a possible reopening.

A press release from the NCTF said it approved the return of a batch of 19 students from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, 70 Guyanese cruise ship workers attached to Royal Caribbean, four Guyanese in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to return via SVG Air and 10 Guyanese in St Maarten. All of those persons will return to Guyana by air under what the NCTF says is controlled re-entry measures.

Further, an application from CARICOM for a team of officials based here to travel to Suriname to observe the Surinamese elections to be held on May 25th and later return to Guyana was approved.

Komal Chand

The press release from the NCTF noted that they also approved a request for the return of the body of late trade unionist Komal Chand from Cuba. Chand died in Cuba on April 8th after travelling there for treatment.

It was noted that the approval of the applications are subject to the fulfillment of requirements of the Ministry of Public Health and other ministries and agencies along with the results of COVID19 tests being provided 48 hours prior to arrival in Guyana. If persons are unable to be tested prior to their arrival, written consent is required from the arriving passengers to be quarantined if deemed necessary by the Ministry of Public Health. The applicants or their employers are required to cover all costs for their return.

Additionally, the press release stated that the NCTF did not approve a request by some 63 Guyanese crew members of the Caribbean Princess cruise line to return to Guyana via sea given the risks involved with seaport entry and as such the NCTF is open to considering an application for the crew members to return via air.

Courts

It was further stated that the task force has approved an application from Unicomer Guyana to open eight of their Courts stores for the purposes of receiving monthly installment payments only from customers. The approval it says was granted for openings from Monday to Friday during non-curfew hours and will be effective from Wednesday. The stores are those on Main St, Georgetown; at Bartica; Richmond, Essequibo Coast; Linden; Mahaica; Parika; New Amsterdam and Diamond.