Wednesday, November 11, 2020
By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Bahamian aviation operators were left stunned last night by the Government's 48-hour "flip-flop" in re-imposing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on all domestic inter-island travel from New Providence.
The Government's latest Emergency Powers Order, issued yesterday morning, seemingly reaffirmed the recently-announced changes where persons heading to all Family Islands (bar Eleuthera) from Nassau could do so by obtaining a Health Travel Visa, presenting a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within five days before travelling, and submitting to a rapid antigen test after five days in their destination.
The changes, which took effect from Sunday, November 8, were designed to create a uniform COVID-19 health protocol whereby Bahamians and residents travelling to the Family Islands from New Providence would have to comply with the same requirements as those imposed on foreign visitors.
However, an amendment to the Emergency Powers Order, issued after 5pm and signed by the Prime Minister, seemingly reverted back to the old 14-day quarantine system just two days' later and did away with the switch to more frequent testing for travellers from New Providence.
"A person travelling from New Providence shall be required, upon arrival on the other island, to submit to mandatory quarantine at a government-identified facility or any other appropriate facility as determined by the Ministry of Health at his own expense for a period of 14 days or for the duration of stay if for a lesser period," the amendment stipulated.
No other change was made to the Emergency Orders issued earlier. The Government provided no explanation for the switch, which is likely to throw the travel plans of many Bahamians into confusion with the Christmas season fast approaching, and again reduce passenger load factors on domestic routes to a bare minimum for Bahamasair and private aviation operators.
Anthony K Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that while he was not surprised by the Government's about-face it would only create further instability for an aviation industry already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the "mixed messages" were also causing confusion for travellers, both locals and foreign visitors, even though the change to the Emergency Orders seeks to protect Family Island tourism by allowing persons "transiting through New Providence" to escape the 14-day quarantine if they are in the capital for less than 24 hours.
Mr Hamilton, who said he had not seen the amendment until it was sent to him by this newspaper, warned that the constant changes - combined with what he described as the lack of "controls" and testing in the Family Islands - could result in The Bahamas "potentially putting ourselves in a situation of having an explosion [in COVID-19 cases] on our hands".
"They've flip flopped. That was my concern from the outset," he told Tribune Business. "This makes the industry even more unstable. Right now, in terms of communication, what information can we share with confidence and make decisions on with confidence? If you're going to have a flip flop situation a lot of operators will sit on the side and just watch.
"It doesn't make sense. We need to be consistent in the messages going forward for the clients, the passengers. Imagine all then information shared with the clientele, and now that information has been revised. It's a very confusing situation. Somebody has to take responsibility. I'll have to look at it, digest it and share it with my colleague operators as I'm not sure they're privy to it.
"We are constantly being bombarded, not only by local clients but foreign clients, calling from overseas to find out what's going on and we cannot intelligently respond." Mr Hamilton, warning that the situation opened up domestic aviation operators to potential liability, said the frequent changes to the domestic inter-island travel regime were also interfering with the industry's ability to operate "responsibly".
"There's no way they can do so in this kind of situation," he added. "The rogue operator will ram-rod the situation, but the responsible operator wants a system in place because the risk is too great. It's risky for the employee, risky for the clientele, and risky for the industry."
Comments
Amused says...
So I must pay for my ticket to the family island only to quarantine at a government facility at a cost to me, so what's the sense of going to the family islands if I only go to visit relatives for 2-3 days and can't. Mind this doesn't apply to the tourists, so yet again different rules for different sets of ppl
Posted 11 November 2020, 7:45 a.m. Suggest removal
DWW says...
living on a family island and have been postponing a trip to get my daughter eye test and glasses for almost a year... Ivory towers, ivory towers while everyone else suffers.
Posted 11 November 2020, 7:57 a.m. Suggest removal
truetruebahamian says...
I need to get work done - so tested and then be told at the last minute that I am unable to travel? The authority is out of his mind - alongside those administrators who are already using this ignorant excuse of a control method. Let those who break the protocols reap their rewards but closing down everything because of a few is just plain idiotic and irresponsible.
Posted 11 November 2020, 9:15 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Just follow the examples of the leaders (and kin) ............... do they quarantine, wear masks, socially distanced, do not "gather" when they socialize or travel????
Posted 11 November 2020, 10:09 a.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
Minnis remains completely transfixed, enraptured and mesmerized by the very unconstitutional powers he has attributed to himself whereby he has eliminated all of our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights and liberties in an effort to transform The Bahamas into a full fledged police state with himself as the self appointed dictator. Yes indeed, Minnis is one incompetent, nasty, arrogant and vindictive SOB. Always has been and always will be.
Posted 11 November 2020, 10:14 a.m. Suggest removal
hj says...
Just another example of incompetence,stupidity,and failure to realize how these decisions affect people's lives. They just can't get their act together,so they punish the rest of the population. I was talking to a family islander today and he thought i was joking when i told him the news.
Posted 11 November 2020, 4:49 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
just wait till they tell us about the people who git past the travel visa system....again
Posted 11 November 2020, 5:36 p.m. Suggest removal
DDK says...
STUPID FOOLS!
Posted 11 November 2020, 5:56 p.m. Suggest removal
trueBahamian says...
This is so stupid. Clearly, the PM doesn't know what he is doing. You consult with all parties involved, them you make your decision. That way you avoid having to do a bunch of flip flops later.
Posted 11 November 2020, 11:40 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
whats changed? The need for bahamians to obtain a travel visa. Who will be doing most travelling and where will most headaches originate? From Bahamians travelling to the US or interisland. So what could have been the problem with obtaining the now done away with travel visa. Well DAguilar already told us. The system. He said the road would be "bumpy". The fact that theyve done away with the requirement entirely may indicate it was bumpier than even he expected. How did they select the contractor? Sometime back when DAguilar started talking about the need to introduce "AI" into the travel visa process I knew he was being sold a bag of very questionable goods. But hey whats changed? we paid 30 million to install a database and have the govt web template replicated 300 times.
Posted 12 November 2020, 3:07 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
done away with the requirement for "interisland", which would require a functioning 100% available (not like rapidbahamas) system
Posted 12 November 2020, 6:52 a.m. Suggest removal
happyfly says...
So let's see, all the lockdowns and destruction of the economy did zero to stop the virus from entering our communities. None of the travel restrictions, testing and tracing did anything to stop the virus from spreading throughout the country. Isn't it about time we faced the reality that this microscopic airborne particle can not be controlled by ridiculous random political policies ? The people in this country need to buck up and face this virus instead of cowering and crying for Papa Doc to pull a solution out his a.... or put up with this madness for long time coming
Posted 12 November 2020, 7:57 a.m. Suggest removal
Truth_hurts says...
As a Bahamian it's obvious that we the Bahamians are treated like second class citizens while tourist getting the Royal treatment.
It's sad to know foreigners can come in my country and have more access than I when it comes to the virus.
I'm from Eleuthera and for the government to enforce rules for Eleuthera but not Spanish Wells and not Harbour Island is a disgrace and insult to everyone on the main island of Eleuthera.
Spanish Wells and Harbour Island commute to Eleuthera daily and they're apart of Eleuthera no matter how much bias opinion made. Both have cases of coronavirus that adds up under Eleuthera count.
If the government really wanted to control the coronavirus he would start with closing the Bahamas from tourist that interact with Bahamians all over. Don't treat us Bahamians like we are the problem when initially we are exposed because of the country's desperate desires to make money.
Posted 12 November 2020, 10:19 a.m. Suggest removal
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