Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he plans to meet with tourism stakeholders this week to further discuss the reopening of the country’s borders for cruise ship travel.
He was speaking on the most recent issue of his Sunday programme, Anou Palay.
“The cruise ships have indicated that they want to come back, we are having discussions with them and I believe that if we can find a very safe way of allowing cruise to come back we should allow it,” he said. “We are discussing it with the cruise lines. There was a first meeting between the Ministry of Tourism led by the minister along with cruise lines. There will be a subsequent meeting this week to see if we can further the discussion.”
He added that once an understanding has been arrived at with the cruiselines, the information will be shared with the public, “so the public can appreciate what it is we are talking about in terms of allowing cruise ship passengers to come into Dominica.”
The prime minister maintains that the ports must be kept open to seek to generate revenue.
“Obviously, as we always said, the safety and health of our people is paramount, but at the same time we have to pay our bills,” he stated.
He said the government will also review recommendations from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) following a CARICOM heads meeting on some of the protocols that should be put in place.
Skerrit said he is hoping to arrange a meeting with the DHTA and the DAIC and other private sector entities to discuss recommendations from CARPHA.
“So we can have tourists coming in and at the same time protecting tourists and the visitors,” He reasoned…“Some countries, they are sticking firmly, with no exception, for the need to have a PCR Test for the maximum lifespan of 72 hours prior to arrival…and this is the advice from CARPHA.”
The Prime Minister said this is the safest way to minimize the presence of COVID-19 , “and then you do further testing when you get to our country.”
Better words have never been spoken!
Of course there is a much greater need for revenue because now $64,000 per month has to come out of the treasury to pay for rent and upkeep for the Double doctorate. Prior to the pandemic these expenses were not there, but the puppet master chooses to put this burden on the contracting economy as he feels his head has gotten so big that her has no choice other than that house in Morne Daniel or a banana shed. No other house in the country can do for a guy with two honorary doctorates. At a time when all trustworthy scientists say expect a dramatic increase in Covid-19, and without any hope for a safe vaccine until next year the need for money is so dire that Skerritt is prepared to risk the safety and lives of Dominicans so he can live like the rich and the famous, irrespective how many citizens guayai.
Very good for Dominicans residing in NY who want to avoid quarantine for 14 days – come on a cruise ship.
So DNO in other words PM Skerrit is in consultation with stakeholders. So now Skerrit knows that consultation is an ongoing conversation and exchange of opinions.
This actually makes perfect sense. It goes to show that the administration cares solely about the money. This entire charade of sending visitors to the island to the government approved COVID facility being for the protection of the health of Dominicans? Nope! All about the money. Squeeze visitors (mainly returning Dominicans) for every last penny. Then let all the disease ridden cruise ship passengers roam freely. News flash – people who travel on cruise ships are some of the cheapest people ever! They are not there to spend their money.
Fellow Dominicans
I am in full support of the Prime Minister’s plans to let the cruise ships come into port because we have bills to pay.
Our Doctor smart we boy, Mister cleaver ehh. Yes I. The Doctor done work out that a cruise ship coming with 2,000 passengers means that all hotels in Dominica will be
filled as they will be turned into quarantine centres for seven days, and since these passengers are not Dominicans they have to spend another seven days in quarantine. Then the actual day to tour and shop around the island. Money going going to flow like oil and honey.
I know when I voted for the visionary Doctor Doctor our country is in safe hands… Real safe hands
twelve months a year. i just can’t stop laughing
Don’t do it dummy. But you’re supreme leader so I guess no one has a say. Poor dominica!
Reopening Dominica for tourism?
Where did Roosevelt get this wishful thinking authority from?
Another wast of time baloney talk; Roosevelt can talk to all his stakeholders of make belief; perhaps all his passports saleswomen, and men!
Nevertheless, Roosevelt can split Dominica wide open and the words open for tourism bellowing out of the pit-holes at the back of the old shack where he was born and grew up, that will not cause tourist ships to start arriving in his Dominica.
Roosevelt Skerrit, tourists ships depends on people who wish to travel on vacation; more than ninety (90%) percent of all who travel as tourists are young working class people; out of North America.
Since COVID-19 outbreak and the economic downturn it engendered swelled the ranks of unemployed Americans by more than 14 million, from 6.2 million in February to 20.5 million in May 2020.
As a result, the U.S. unemployment rate shot up from 3.8% in February. Many more millions of people in America are out of…
So, many more people are out of work; hence people are not going on vacation, since most working class people bank account are depleted.
Some of the jobs lost are not ever going to return, so until the economy of the United States fully recovers, Roosevelt boy; you Mountain Chicken Crapaud crapo Mentality can try to fool Elizabeth and Man Dog, with you opening of Dominica, but the tourist ships will not come, unless you pay them to sale to Dominica empty!
By the way older people are not traveling; the owners of these ships are not in any hurry to risks their ships as a cesspool for the virus.
“As of Mar 25, 2020 As daily life in Canada came to a pause, 44 per cent of Canadian households say they’ve lost work or have seen layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The current population of Canada is 37,806,632,154: So, if 44% of that lost their job that’s more than 16,000,000; ships can’t run empty, Roosevelt!
Shut up!
Let me correct this; I error when I wrote the population of Canada is “37,086,632,154!
The current population of Canada is 37,803,258, people.
Why was the “— at the back of the old shack where he was born and grew up,—” comment necessary? He had nothing to do with the circumstances of his birth or upbringing; intelligent people should be able to express themselves effectively without being derogatory and disrespectful.
Be quiet and calm when you read me pounding Roosevelt head against rock-stone okay!
He deserve everything I am throwing at him; and if you do not understand politics just read and be quiet!
There are many ways in which one can respect a person than aiding and abating their ignorance; sometimes it is good to remind people of where they came from especially when they have forgotten!
Think in terms of where Roosevelt came from to have government money paying more than eight hundred thousand dollars per year in rent, when some people in Dominica never work one day as an employee, earning a dime; and this little boy states it is either he pays that in rent or he will live in a banana shed!
Roosevelt came out of the shack, however has a house in his village which cost millions of dollars!
Do you know about that one?
Well, that is one of many including the Villas, in Dominica, and even in the United States, okay!
Just to remind you am talking about Roosevelt you want me to respect.
I give honor and respect where it’s due, but don’t expect to ever see me respect thieves, vagabonds, and crooks eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahah!
Good thing You understand
The most likely places to become infected by Covid are public gatherings, public transport, airports and aircraft – and cruiseships. Cruiseships are probably the most dangerous of all, when 2,000+ people from UK, USA and Europe (all high risk areas) are in close proximity to each other for a week or a fortnight. Allowing them onto our shores, after the sacrificed we have all had to make to contain the pandemic, would be foolhardy and irresponsible.
Here in Europe some countries / ports already opened and a few cruise ships have been re-activated. There are strict testings BEFORE passengers board the ships. So it is assumed that everybody on board is healthy, so no virus can be spread – which is usually quite easy on a ship as you said, but besides these screenings there are also strict hygiene measures taken on the ships. Cruises are not the same anymore – no buffet food, no disco / parties, social distancing in theatre, masks in certain public areas. First cruises were seadays only / “panoramic cruises” without any ports. They now have first cruises visiting ports. Shore access is only granted with organized tours, leaving the tour groups is strictly prohibited and there were already passengers banned from boarding the ship again. So the passengers are kept in a “bubble”, also shoreside. This gives saftey to residents and other passengers, but also means that mostly tour operators will benefit, not vendors.
It would be a fine thing if that were true but I can not see that happen this coming season that is standing before our door. We still have COVID so how did Denise have a meeting with cruise ship operators, when and where, in Miami ? When all our visitors have to quarantine in Portsmouth at the lilac villas, which which would not impress them, I’m sure. I wish the PM would present the naked truth for once. Perhaps they had a conference- or video call with the cruise people to discuss the future, that’s all. That is a positive move but far from reality on the ground, or perhaps I should say quayside!
This is a good idea when one thinks of revenue raising but i want to know how the government plans to deal with 2000 people landing in Roseau by ship compared to 20 landing at Melvilhall airport ,will all passengers be entering under the existing health department rules?
Well now I agree Dominica is in real financial crisis. Those small planes coming with 10, 15, 20 passengers, sometimes 95% of them are Dominicans, and Skerrit is so wicked that he sends everybody to quarantine aka prison in his Portsmouth center and he lying to those foolish Dominicans to give the impression that he is trying to keep the country safe and, now he talking about cruise ship back? Does Skerrit understand that cruise ships come with over a thousand passengers? So you saying they will be tested, so what about those Dominicans that coming home and tested negative, yet you sending to quarantine in your center and making them pay so much money? Man you are such an Evil and wicked person and I just don’t know what it must take to make those fools kick you out!
Meanwhile, Dr David Nabarro the World Health Organisation special envoy on Covid-19 has just said:
“It’s much worse than any of the science fiction about pandemics. This is really serious – we’re not even in the middle of it yet. We’re still at the beginning…and we’re beginning to see what damage it’s going to cause the world. And it’s getting nastier as we go into this particular phase in Europe of watching the thing come back again…It’s a terrible situation, a health issue has got so out of control it’s knocking the world into, not just a recession, but a huge economic contraction which would probably double the number of poor people, double the number of malnourished, lead to hundreds of millions of small businesses going bankrupt.”
At this point in time, isn’t it better that Dominica does all it can to isolate and stay safe?
Skerrit is a sacwe hypocrite hell dumped in Dominica and I don’t pay any mind to anything that evil man says. He has destroyed Dominica and all you can do what all you want Dominica is already destroyed. In fact I don’t even want people to know I am from that nonsense country. So according to Roosevelt Skerrit, “Go do hell.”
Obviously, as we always said, the safety and health of our people is paramount, but at the same time we have to pay our bills,” Skerrit stated.
Skerrit you need it remind us that we have bills to pay. Of course you don’t, the state of DA is footing all your bills.
Is that a joke and I can’t come for 10 days to do business cause if I’m positive or negative I will be lock for 14 days boy boy look bobal
antigua open so you want to open too? We are not able equipped or ready. But.. go ahead, open it if you want. Just know you will have to close again shortly after.