Grenada’s borders, through a phased process, are opening. A legitimate concern for many would-be non-compliant tourists.
Non-compliance in this instance could range from breaking quarantine to not wearing masks. Although our visitors must be welcomed as they escape to relax and explore our beautiful island, they must comply with our laws. According to Dr George Mitchell, head of the National Covid-19 Response Team, via actions through parliament, the current monetary sanctions for non-compliance will increase.
This revelation occurred on Friday, 17 July 2020, when Central Health-Grenada interviewed the coordinator of the National Covid-19 Response Team as part of its online series entitled, “Covid-19 & Those Most at Risk.”
“The sanctions that have been on the books for many, many years were deemed inadequate. Just not enough to deter persons and so this is going to be brought to Parliament,” said Dr Mitchell. He went onto say, “I suspect that very early next week the fines surrounding breaking quarantine etc, will be revised and will be implemented upwards.”
Grenada has to take steps to move on. The way our world economics is designed, we have to smartly create a new normal. Covid-19 will be around for a while and so the process of welcoming tourists to our island is part and parcel of the overall process. Having said that, as far as Dr Mitchell and his team are concerned, if you are coming from what they have deemed as Yellow or Red Zones, meaning that there are active transmissions there, expect to be quarantined for a certain period of time. “Unlike the St Vincent experience, where people were allowed to go home, and they have their peculiarities about them — that they were allowed to go home, Grenada is not about to take that kind of chance. I’m sorry — no. We are not about to take that kind of chance. If you are coming from an area where there is active transmission, and you want to come and have fun, then your fun, of course, would be enjoying our beautiful island — but from your secured location.”
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health outlined its phased approach for opening the Boarders — Low Risk (OECS Countries), Medium (Caricom, UK, Canada) and High (US or visited the USA 14 days prior to arrival) arrivals would be permitted during different time periods. Our visitors or those returning home, would have to bear additional costs, outside of their airfare, and adhere to strict procedures. In fact, travelling via aircraft requires serious planning. Everyone entering Grenada must have certain things and accept our laws and procedures:
- Download key forms:
- Incoming Passenger Home Quarantine Application
- International Passenger Health Declaration Form (must sign)
- Negative PCR Test (Yellow Zone – 7 days prior & Red Zone – just before arrival)
- Prepare to be tested upon arrival (Yellow Zone – Rapid Test & Red Zone PCR Test)
- Pay to reserve quarantine location (government-approved sites only). Meals not included.
- Download Grenada’s Contract Tracing App
- If positive upon arrival, expect to cover all costs for retaking the tests.
View full recap of travel protocols.
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As a regular Canadian tourist to your beautiful island and appreciative of the Covid – 19 regulations put in place by the Government, it seems that notwithstanding I arrive with a negative test result as well as a negative quick test on arrival, I will still have to quarantine for 14 days .
Since my visit is for 14 days at a resort paid for in advance, it makes absolutely no sense for me to visit the island until such time that the regulations are removed. I am sure that my situation would apply to a vast majority of your visitors resulting in the devastation to your 2020/2021 tourist season and the financial dependence on it.
How convenient (and well counselled by the Chinese Communist Party):
1- Starve out the Capitalist owners of the TOURIST INDUSTRY, pretend to “open” when you might as well be closed, with all of these outlandish and totally unnecessary restrictions.
2- force these orgizations, groups, individuals into selling their tourist properties and Grenadian assets; these groups or individuals would NEED to do so in order to economically “move-on” to retirement or OTHER business investments, ELSEWHERE on other islanmds or tropical places….
3- the Grenadian GOV’t comes in to “mercifully” buy out (at a much cheaper cost than actual worth) this industry’s property + assets; all the while many decry such action, saying that the Grenadian governments “mercy” buying will cuase the nation’s treasure chest to be emptied…(and that would be TRUE, and just what the powerful government officials really want!))
4- HOLD these tourist “assets” in government controlled hands, maybe make a half-hearted go at running some of them, but ultimately they all FAIL – they MUST fail; it is vital to THE PLAN…
5- Government (in 2 years) announces that they are BROKE and need $$ desperately (predicted prior). As such, ALL or a LRGE # of these tourist industry assets and properties are FOR SALE at a bargain basement price (much lower than what the governement ORIGINALLY paid for them). The original owners have moved on and are for the most part, no longer interested. Even if the original owners want it, they WON”T be chosen to buy them back !
6- Government retains only SOME small # of tourist places for parliamentarian perks, and slush funds, government official use, etc…NOT YOU CITIZENRY!
Now it gets interesting….
7- The remaining resorts are sold at BARGAIN-BASEMENT (maybe 1/4 of what they are actually worth) prices to CHOICE buyers (foreign friends /organizations/ etc..); whereby influential government officials have FULL decision-making power regarding WHO the buyers will be and can be ; Powerful government officials become, as a result, “silent partners” in these resorts as a form of “thanks” (ie TAYLOR), thus, enjoying large, passive, incomes for LIFE.
As long as there are capitalist economies in the world with $$$citezenry monies to spend, Tourism on Grenada will ALWAYS exist. However, the $$$ NOW goes into OTHER people’s (and Gov’t officials) hands.
IN SHORT : this is all just a poorly concealed grab of wealth, land, and A$$ets by a privileged few IN GOVERNMENT. I would not be surpised if, in 3 years, the VAST majority of those holding the ownerships will NOT be Grenadians, but Foreigners and Foreign groups, maybe even OTHER GOVERNMENTS (China, Cuba…)
in the case of the latter, forighn governments will slowly over say 5 years time, come to control the very governemtn of the nation. And all so a lucky few in Governemtn NOW can enjoy passive incomes for a time.
SAD.
I am lucky enough to be a regular visitor to Grenada for almost 40years.
My usual visits are in May and Sept, however when C19 was first being seen in February (in the UK) I realised that (at least) my May trip would be postponed . For me this decision was not about my health and safety (Grenada was thankfully clear at that time) but for the unimaginable impact on Grenada. We have suffered unbearable loss of life, the stress and strain on our health system and staff, loss of income and homes in many cases.
The debt ( financially) will be felt by the next generation and further. The loss of life is immeasurable. My concern was and still is..
The impact of coronavirus on your island, it’s people and the future would be devastating…at the least.
#staysafe
The authorities have not come up with a clear plan for when Grenada will be opened to tourists. This makes it difficult for entrepreneurs in the tourism industry to start their business again.
If the authorities intend to quarantine tourists for 14 days, this would hit the entire tourism industry hard. I hope Grenada opens up in a controlled way.
Unsure who tourists will be running to Grenada with so many restrictions when there are other Caribbean countries with the same sea & sand with much less restrictions. The economy of Grenada is driven by tourism not spices as not much trade is on these days.
I’m not going to comment on the foolish comments above. However, I would like to know when you think Grenada will open to travelers from the U.S.? I have only heard and read good things about Grenada and it’s people and I would like to take my family there for a visit.
How does the government expect tourist to come to Grenada and still have to pay additional costs? The price of a plane ticket is already ridiculously high, not to mention the costs to stay in a hotel for 1 week. This is bad business for the Island. I don think this was actually given the right amount of thought. Pay to reserve quarantine location (government-approved sites only). Meals not included so Grenada is trying to make over $4000 XCD dollars from tourists. What about regular visitors that don’t stay at hotels ? Who ever cam up with this idea needs to be fired. THIS MAKE PEOPLE NOT WANT TO VISIT.
The Australian government and others are doing the same thing. Quarantine is now in the cost of the trip. The island can’t afford the nasty COVID-19 bug and can do without whining tourists, too. This is a good thing to keep people safe. Keep your nasty germs to yourself. When vacation is over, you go home. The people of Grenada must stay.
What an ugly thing to say! You sound so foolish and evil.
You’re so nasty, Cliff Richard!
All of us on the island appreciate the exemplary work done by our public officials to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, keeping us all safe. Now, as we have paid the price to get to this point, we expect the government to continue to keep our island and people safe, and any tourists who are disrespectful of our nation and people by violating our rules and requirements should be sanctioned strongly. And at the same time we must set an example by respecting the rules ourselves. Not all are doing so, mislead by the notion that there is no COVID-19 on Grenada. This is probably not the case, and there can be no doubt that virus-positive tourists will arrive and strong steps to protect our public health are essential. Masks, social distancing, avoiding groups and hand hygiene are essential, all the time, by everyone!
Absolutely! Every precaution should be taken not to burden resources.
I suggest the government do country wide testing drive and stop telling the citizens that there’s no cases. Also ensure the test dont come from China.