Bad practice? Only select travellers to BVI given tracking bracelet, app
At least one local has questioned the BVI government’s policy of only providing tracking apps and bracelets to select arriving travellers – specifically those who may have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Speaking at the recent meeting with stakeholders from the transportation-for-hire industry, the resident said most other arrivals are allowed to enter without being tagged with any monitoring system.
“I think there’s a little issue there where you (persons who haven’t tested positive) get to leave the port. You go straight home. There’s no tracking app on your phone there. No bracelets or anything like what we were doing before. So, I think that’s a little hole that we might have to look at the plug,” the resident said.
Complacency in enforcing safety protocols?
The resident also questioned why it appeared as though the territory had become complacent with its enforcement of protocols such as mask-wearing.
“I feel like whether you’re vaccinated or not, we need to really be focusing on sanitary protocols; safety protocols. We need to really be enforcing wearing your mask, social distancing, and really driving those points home because whether you’re vaccinated or not, it still is possible for you to catch and spread the virus and I think that’s where us as a whole community became complacent to be honest because some people started to feel like, ‘oh, I took the vaccine. So, I’m immortal’.”
He said local officials need to drive home the point that those everyday safety protocols for COVID-19 are effective.
He further suggested that residents need to allow ships to return to the territory with that understanding in mind.
“So, we have to work with this thing, live with it, push the protocols, allow the ships to come in and people have to make up their mind that this is how life is going to be,” the resident said.
He continued: “It would never go back to how it was pre-COVID no time soon. That’s just my take because we can’t just lose out on all these, you know, millions of dollars for the foreseeable future. That would be basically suicide; economic suicide.”
Government adjusted entry protocols
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Ronald Georges explained that the government’s entry protocols had previously been adjusted for certain travellers.
According to Dr Georges, Cabinet had made a decision to allow vaccinated tourists or vaccinated travellers to enter the territory. And at one point in time, they weren’t being tested but that move coincided with the cruise ships coming in.
He said after the BVI experienced a spike in cases, vaccinated persons who were coming in began to receive rapid tests.
“So, you would come in, you’d have the rapid test. If you’re negative, you go. So, in that scenario, you won’t get a band and you won’t enter quarantine if you did test rapid test positive on entry, then, you would get a band and be quarantined and await your PCR results which if positive, then, you’d go through that process for a positive person if negative and it was a false rapid test positive, then you’ll be you’ll continue to be released,” Dr Georges explained.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
We all know that those so called tracking bracelets never worked at the airport. Somebody was getting peoples’ money for things that did not work and from the look of it they knew they would not work. I travelled and returned several times only to have a concert plastic bracelet placed on my hand and given an adapter type device that never worked. I spoke with other people in the line at the police station handing back theirs and they all called it a money scam because theirs did not work either. Anyone could see this for what is it. COI please look into this and see who owns the company. You will find some interesting information that will help you to connect some essential dots.
Yup, mine never worked either. Couldnt even tell if it was charged or not so I’m sure it was dead for the entire time I quarantined. Nobody called and said anything which led me to know that it was not working. waste
I was given a bracelet and a charger, then asked to charge it….much to my surprise as I would have expected the device to be charged…..it NEVER worked….
Yes, those bogus $6million braclets needs to be investigated. Mr Hickombott, please help us recover that most needed monies for our treasury!
Thank you
Finally allyuh seeing the light. Under the guise of health and safety they pilfering millions. How can we trust these guys?
Bunch of lying thieves, this government is a set of reprobates, damn nasty carrion dogs.
Don’t hold back. Tell us what you really think.
different rules for different people… sound like typical bvi way.
From personal experience it was noticeable when I returned to BVI earlier in year that only those of a ‘lighter’ skin tone seemed to be being asked to wear the trackers…
Entire article on one persons OPION; why not the usual three quarters of a dozen. Might as well pull a Trump and say ‘people are saying’.
I was provided with a “tracker” in April. I “charged” it as instructed. I’m pretty sure it never worked. I’ve met very few people who had a “tracker” that appeared to be actually working. It looks like Amber Group of Jamaica ripped off the BVI Government on that contract.
This is it.
I got a bracelet and a tracking phone and i was negative. They want you to take pics twice a day with the phone and submit. As someone said i dont know if its working because no one calls or text and say anything. By the way you can have my bracelet because it irritates my skin.