BVI News

BVI COVID response a model for Eastern Carib’n

Scenes at the TB Lettsome International Airport on Day 2 of the reopening of local borders to visitors back in December. 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has presented the BVI’s response to COVID-19 as a “model” for the Eastern Caribbean.

A media statement from the Office of the Premier said the UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative for Barbados and the OECS, Ugo Blanco “praised the BVI’s leadership in the regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic in remarks at the UN development agency’s official virtual presentation of its joint report with ISGlobal”.

The media statement further said that ISGlobal representative, Carlos Chaccour stated in the presentation that “the health and entry protocols adopted by the BVI were highly effective in safely reopening and managing its borders to restart the tourism sector”.

Special Envoy of the Premier, Benito Wheatley attended the meeting and welcomed the BVI being upheld as a model for COVID-19 response in the Eastern Caribbean.

He reported that the territory is working to accelerate vaccination of the population.

“This will allow health and social restrictions and entry requirements to eventually be eased so the tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors can fully function,” Wheatley stated.

“I would like to remind colleagues that the hurricane season begins in two months … We consider the biggest risk to our economic recovery from the pandemic in the latter half of the year to be potential disruptions from hurricanes, storms, excess rain and flooding. We do not want this particular risk posed to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by climate change to be lost in our dialogue about the pandemic. We must tackle both risks at the same time,” he added.

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23 Comments

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  1. Resident says:

    Ya it’s a model on how to die from poverty instead of covid, bvi tourism is dead

    Like 34
    Dislike 6
    • Yawn says:

      Name one person that died from poverty in the BVI at any point even before Covid.

      Like 16
      Dislike 6
      • Doh says:

        There wasn’t a reference to a person. It’s the territory that is dying.

        But thanks for playing

        Like 15
        Dislike 7
        • Yawn says:

          The territory dying ? I don’t see any evidence of an exodus so the territory obviously isn’t dying. When a territory is dying you have cases like Haiti and South America where people risk life and limb to move to greener pastures.

          Like 9
          Dislike 5
      • Tim says:

        just look at the level of crime … you think its coming out of nowhere?

        Like 8
        Dislike 3
        • Anonymous says:

          The level of crime hasn’t increased though. Every few years we have a few murders then it goes quiet. All these drugs and gun cases aren’t because crime increased it’s because the police are now doing a somewhat better job at catching criminals, more people ratting and getting sloppy. Some of these guys doing these things for years so it’s not new criminals being caught.

    • Bobby says:

      You are one of those who value $$$ over Life.

      Like 3
      Dislike 1
  2. Hmmm says:

    This has me questioning the competency of the UNDP!

    Like 15
    Dislike 3
  3. Hmm says:

    This has me questioning the competency of the UNDP

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  4. 2cents says:

    Locking everything down at the expense of everything else is easy. The hard part is a balance which govt did not accomplish

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
  5. Bvi doing well. Can do better.. says:

    Its time to give vaccine some credibility and give vaccinated people some advantages, thats the best way to drive vaccination up.. for example when seaports open up, upon reentry all unvaccinated passengers must adhere to present protocols, Half vaccinated meaning one shot, one night quarantine for arrival test results to be completed,, full vaccinated people,mean both shots no quarantine,, Its time to defend the vaccine.

    Like 21
    Dislike 6
    • Agree says:

      Agreed

      We need to open up and salvage what’s left of the tourism sector. Usvi is killing it and we won’t ever win back those customers and their dollars

    • Shades says:

      You need to buy an island and put down you requirements of what you want your criteria to be to enter. NO ONE COULD MAKE TAKING THE VACCINE MANDATORY. Why those big companies didnt rush a vaccine for chikigunia ,eboly and aids. Man made the covid and want to make a one world order,one ruler, one way affair thing. Be careful ,dont trust man, but especially the illuminatties. The 666 will be their nect demand, just take this vaccine. You want their passport,you’ll just have to give in to get it.

  6. island man says:

    Anybody can lock down. Show us how to open up and we will say it’s a model. Otherwise you talking fart!

  7. lucky says:

    at the airport the passengers from different countries are mixed together in the testing centre and the taxis and same for the testing at the hospital Just sheer luck that there are not more covid cases.

  8. antiantivaxers says:

    if the BVI local population do not take the vaccine its going to put the hospital under strain if they more severely ill than those that those take the vaccine. BVI cannot build a herd immunity if they dont take it. The Premier said only 6512 people have taken the vaccine. Should employers make their staff take the vaccine as I heard there are a lot of workers who are not taking the vaccine?

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  9. Ex BVI Money Tourist says:

    I guess “you win”….in the mean time USVI is killing it. New yachting attractions are opening up in the USVi’s replacing the old favorites, Willy T & Saba, Jost………its a shame but you deserve every bit of it for the self inflicted wounds.

    Never forget: Life is Dangerous

  10. Give me a break says:

    Yes its a model….congratulations…but dont get it twisted. It’s a model that shows that the protocols work. We dont win any awards for practically destroying tourism, vaccination rollout nor industry collaboration.

  11. Sad Sailor says:

    BVI is a failed state – I won’t be back.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1

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