USVI newspaper tells visitors not to visit BVI
A headline in the USVI-based newspaper, Virgin Islands Daily News which seemingly criticises the BVI’s new COVID-19 protocols for the tourism industry has been making its rounds on social media.
The headline published on October 29, 2020 reads: “Thinking about a weekend trip to the BVI? Don’t.” It appears on the front page of the Daily News publication, a widely circulated print outlet in the USVI.
Our newsroom hasn’t yet ascertained the full contents of the article but Health Minister Carvin Malone has responded to the headline saying the newspaper has a right to “print stories as they see it without interference”.
Minister Malone, however, defended the BVI’s reopening protocols, saying the territory must open in a responsible manner.
“Businesses in BVI must reopen without being forced to close again like they are doing both regionally and globally. We are working with our health experts to find the right mix of protocols. We cannot make these up on our own. The eighth-day test is being reviewed by the health experts, not the politicians. The four days quarantine is a MUST if we are to be responsible at any level,” the minister said in a message sent to a local Whatsapp chat group.
He continued: “The world is spiking! This is a reality, not a scare tactic. Numerous jurisdictions are closing while we are seeking to open in a responsible manner. Let us all work together and do our part.”
On Facebook, the headline has angered many BVI-islanders who say it reflects badly on the USVI.
The critics say such a headline should never have been published by a USVI entity, seeing that territory has an economy similar to the BVI and since both territories have a good diplomatic relationship.
The BVI’s COVID-19 protocols which were announced earlier this week have not been accepted by many residents who believe they are too stringent and will deter visitors from visiting the territory when it reopens on December 1.
Some businesses reported a high number of cancellations from would-be tourists immediately after the protocols were announced.
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This is clearly a cheap tactic from the USVI to capitalize from the BVI’s shortcomings. With them publishing this for the world of tourist to see, what they are saying in a nut shell is come to the USVI to continue filling the country with COVID and forget about the BVI and there ridiculous protocols. By right, they do have a right to be a COVID zone, they are a U.S.A. territory, why should they be any different!
And you saying it’s not true?
Cheap Tactic?
This is business and they are eating our lunch!
Either we get with it or we lose out, there is no in between.
Stop complaining and start thinking what we can do to ease the bleeding.
The people’s are suffering!
It might be a cheap tactic. They are right though.
@Not Surprise, We didn’t do anything wrong. Why don’t you lay the F***ing blame where the blame lies. YOUR GOVERNMENT MESSED UP!!!. SINCE YOU WANT TO BE STUPID AND PLAY BO BO THE FOOL AND BLAME THE USVI, YEAH WE ARE MAKING THE MONEY FROM THE TOURIST SECTOR THE BVI THREW AWAY. HATE TO BRAG BUT MY T SHIRT STAND MADE OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND MY FRIEND MADE A LITTLE OVER TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS SELLING COCONUT WATER.
Our government do an excellent job if you ask me, we Covid free. Sound like a whole lot of folks here speaking out of hatred, envy and jealously.
@ Not surprise, we did nothing wrong. THE USVI PRINTED THE TRUTH. GO AND TAKE YOUR GRIP AND ANGER OUT ON YOU NON TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT THAT SCREWED UP. IT IS NO SECRET, THE TRAVEL WORLD/SECTOR KNOWS HOW POORLY YOUR GOVERNMENT EXECUTED THE OPENING OF YOUR COUNTRY.
The USVI is just reporting that the BVI doesn’t want tourists and if you venture to the BVI you will be locked down in quarantine and made to wear a bracelet like a prisoner out on bond. Nothing wrong with that as it’s the truth. You are all allowing your corrupt and uneducated politicians make rules that are archaic then so be it. But surely don’t complain that a neighboring Territory that has many of its visitors take trips to the BVI warn those tourists that you can have issues.
Seriously? Yiu really think they are “publishing this for the world of tourist to see”?
The world won’t see this; they have a circulation of a few hundred at best.
Of course they are right, we have essentially closed up shop by putting these rules in place but let’s not kid ourselves that anyone cares.
How, exactly, is the headline wrong? With a four-day quarantine period, how is a 1 or 2 day weekend trip to the BVI from the USVI even possible? The BVI closed its doors to us, while ours are still wide open to them. Given our historically close relationship, it’s we who should be upset, not the BVI!
It’s not a 4 day quarantine period. It is a more than 8 day quarantine since after 8 days you have to wait for your result and nobody can say how long you wait.
Are you forgetting that your Covid cases spiraled out of control? Are you aware of the notion that the previous spike in Covid case in the BVI was most likely imported by smugglers coming in from the USVI? We had no choice but to close our borders.
What they are saying is that visitors cannot come to the BVI for the weekend because of the strict protocols. They probably raise the question of it is even worth it to come for a week. It is a very good question to raise and I expect the BVI would be doing the same if it were the other way around.
Health experts? We have heard a lot about these so called experts, but all they seem to do is parrot whatever the CDC / WHO says.
Anyone can do that!
There are no experts in anything in the BVI except for maybe some attorneys that can hide your illegal wealth. Health experts? LMFAO. Your health experts would have problems removing a splinter from a finger. All you people do is copy what is being done elsewhere. And you copy poorly. However when you do copy you always find a deceitful way to make money at it. Just take a look at what the tourists will pay. Going to charge them for tests that the UK donated to you. You are a people that needs removal from the planet.
Trump 2020
Why would anyone inject a Trump 2020 banner-like comment in to thIs dialogue? America is at war with it’s own and people and Trump cheers only one side on. I can tell you that living in today’s America is frightening. For Tortola or any part of the BVI to model itself in the image of Trump’s America is suicidal.
He looks to the anti academic view of Covid-19 and all of his actions indicate a lack of knowledge regarding an outcome of his reach for “herd immunity”. Trying to implement such an endeavor would cause millions upon millions of unnecessary deaths in the USA. It would also cause many to live with the long term after effects of this ugly virus. The BVI must look outside of tourism for economic security. First Irma, now Covid-19 shuts all down. What next if 3 strikes are an out? No one expected Irma and for sure, no one expected a pandemic. Tortola and the BVI are in a box and now is the time to start thinking outside of it. I am an American who loves the BVI, lived there for six years and visit yearly. While I want very much to go to your islands this year, the current protocols seem a bit draconian. In addition to all of the fees, cost of travel and requirements for travelers insurance, plus days lost in complying with current rule implementation, I just don’t know! Trumps approach is wrong but I question the efficacy of the BVI must do lists. There must be a compromise somewhere?
Wow!!! Why the hatred? It sounds like you have a lot of deep-rooted resentment. FYI the BVI is free to govern it’s territory in a matter that we see fit. We don’t need or care for your hogwash. Simply put, it’s not your business.
USVI is Donald Trump territory. Listen to their president, can’t expect better from them if they are pivoting that orange chimpanzee.
As opposed to the 47 years of doing nothing?
To Fowards Ever….have you even been to the USVI? It is a US Territory. Its citizens are not allowed to vote in presidential elections. There are no signs, posters, bumper stickers, promoting either candidate.
To be fair, nobody claimed the people in the USVI vote for Trump.
The BVI is sounding like a dictatorship. Are people allowed to have opinions down there? It’s like the government gonna beat you if you don’t agree with them.
You shut up
About right. BVI love…
Brainless
Vacuous
Inept
It’s more than an opinion. It’s completely relevant and valid advice. I await some time after Dec. 1st when the first oblivious tourist (completely their fault) touches down at the airport and unexpectedly gets them some #BVILove.
Thats correct. If you speak up Mugabe and his gang will out you.
Your gov would have done the same if you weren’t control by the trump. You just another senseless islander with no clue. If your gov had its way St. Thomas would have been even worst. It’s just that your Gov is powerless and that why you have so many infections per capita. Now how about that for Dictatorship? Lol
It is a good idea. You want to keep the locals safe
Minister is right, but boarders shouldn’t be open until vaccine is here
I say bravo to the USVI. Our loss is their gain and they will bank millions from it while we scrape by. The season has been lost before it even started.
My friends in the charter fleet over in St Thomas say their bookings are through the roof. All due to our Dear Leader and his inept and misleading plans. We say we’re going to open, yet we have policies that ask so much of a visitor, they are shrugging us off as lost and taking their tourist dollars elsewhere,
We have successfully collapsed one of the pillars of our economy with this plan. Tourists remember that and will not come back.
Good luck USVI and put your best on for all of those tourists.
Wealth ove health. It seems to be what’s more important. Money money money. The love of money is the root of all evil. Y’all evil people get that covid/money. Yeaaa money money. That makes y’all happy
No wealth, here is likely no health. No health, there certainly will be no wealth! Balance is needed!
Well said Ning.
They are driving so many into poverty and with that comes poor health cause of poor nutrition and lack of access to top level health care.
As United States citizen, I can tell USVI and BVI, that Europe nor the United States cares about islands where the people are those of color. Instead of fighting amongst each other, take note as to how Europe and United States exploits these territories. This virus is very real. Please, please, take every precaution possible. Busy I don’t be angry with your government, because that’s the end, it’s better to struggle now, then to see all the Death we are seeing here in the United States. USVI, if you’re going to open as you already have, please be careful, you cannot be too careful because this virus is killing people an alarming rate here in the United States
This is such HOGWASH!
I live in TX and have vacationed in both B&US VI. Both beautiful areas.
I’m mystified how the govt and media have you all afraid of your own shadows! Is the virus real? Of course. Is it a death sentence? 99.9% NO! I’m self employed and have worked all but about the first week. I’ve already had iCOVID and most of the ppl I Assoc with have. I don’t know a single person who died or even has been hospitalized. Basically 1-4 days of Flu like symptoms. Then it’s done!
If you really beleive that you are going to keep the virus off the islands for ever, then I can’t feel sorry for you being that much of a simpleton. But, you’re in for a lot of disappointment and misery.
Get on about your lives! Really, stop and do your own research. The ppl that are dying usually already had one foot in the grave. Look at the ages! These are not usually the everyday working ppl. It’s been NINE months! Look around and count for yourselves who has suffered. I’ll bet most of you can’t even name anyone.
Fire bun dem protocal, dem wukin 4 da devil.time alone goin tell.all dem duppy leaders goin hell.
The US Virgin Islands are our friends. They are one ah we. Isn’t that what we have been saying for years?
You shut up
The BVI has a leadership failure…To add cant put all the blame on the leader.. The party is weak.. Ministers are without courage to challenge the leader.. So dont blame the USVI for the BVI failures..
Why don’t all of you BVIslanders go to the USVI for a day and come back. Let us see how that works.
What’s the difference between ‘DONT’ and ‘YOU CAN’T’ in this instance.
Clearly the protocols are against you for a weekend visit to the BVI! Soooooo even if you wanted to come over for a weekend and spend some money, YOU CANNOT because of the onerous protocols to keep us supposedly safe.
The question is a good one and the answer is right on point, some of us rather be slapped with a lie instead of facing the truth.
And just so we know, us residents can’t leave the island and come back so easily. Will we have to do about 4 COVID tests? In as many days??? Is it even safe to be shoving that thing up your nose so frequently??? The thought alone makes me cringe and I’ve done the test before.
Ayo full of wat shop don’t sell where in the hell Ayo want poor people children to get the money to pay for the stay at any hotel an we only coming on vacation for seven days an u want to put people up for four days an still have us pay for the room u guys full of wat shop don’t sell no one is going to come
There we have it, folks. Genuine Frontier Gibberish.
It’s news. They report the news. That’s what they do…I already heard since BVI plan released St Johns have been over booked with visitors and Yachters.
The BVI government is saying they are trying to keep THE people safe and THE people are saying to the government the best way to keep us safe is to bring our businesses business give us work We will take care of ourselves..Work seems to be the big issue in the BVI with the people and if there is no business and economical activities there will be no work..
Can’t they see what has happened in the last 4 months!the domino effect of the pandemic,the lack of stimulus, the lockdown etc a rise in crime. The leaders need to create a comfortable and safe balance and quickly.
Once again the government has made the country look like a bunch of clueless crooked clowns. Expect other newspapers in the USA,UK and other Caribbean countries to be laughing at us and the crazy expectation that visitors are actually going to come and put up with this nonsense.
It was written by a BVIslander. He should be ashamed off himself. Mr. G*******y.
Usvi is eating our lunch.where there is no vision the people perish. Vip nonsense
Sorry man. Your Government is the one that drop the ball on your heads. We in the USVI will not turn away the Tourist like your Government did. BIG SLAP IN THE FACE AND DISRESPECT FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT THAT OBVIOUSLY DON’T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE. SORRY MAN.
You can get the USVI news paper at certain news stands in Times Square. I was on my way to work and I picked up a copy. The first thing that stood out was the article.
Bvinews your headline is WRONG! It should state “BVI Govt tells USVI daytrippers not to come to the BVI”. Thr article in daily news simply reiterated what govt said. If there is a 4 day quarantine obviously it means no weekend/day trip. ‘Bye BVI’ will soon be the new BVITB slogan.
How can this reflect badly on the USVI like most of you is staying on FACEBOOK? THE USVI IS GETTING THE TOURIST THAT WAS PLANNING TO VACATION ON TORTOLA THANKS TO YOUR GOVERNMENT STUPIDITY. IT LOOKS BAD ON THE BVI, NOT THE USVI. YOU GUYS ARE THE BUTT OF JOKES. WHY WOULD YOU CUT OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISM.
We chartered in STT. Would love to come to BVI. Sorry to hear that BVI made it impossible. The Bahamas started with the same stringent protocols but quickly switched to something more reasonable. I hope BVI will too. If not more people on BVI will slip in to poverty
Can’t they see what has happened in the last 4 months!the domino effect of the pandemic,the lack of stimulus, the lockdown etc a rise in crime. The leaders need to create a comfortable and safe balance and quickly.
Don’t be mad at the USVI, be mad at your WEAK INEPT GOVERNMENT. They are the ones that came up with the poor planning. In the business world, you snooze you lose. IF IT HAD BEEN THE OTHER WAY AROUND YOU WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD AND INVITING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE BVI. PLEASE DON’’T LET IT GET TO THE POINT OF WHERE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BVI BECOMES SHAKEY. WE DID NOTHING WRONG.IF YOU ARE ANGRY ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, PLACE THE BLAME ON YOUR GOVERNMENT. OUR GOVERNMENT SAT DOWN WITH THE PROFESSIONALS MONTHS AGO AND CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO OPEN FOR THE TOURIST SEASON. YOURS DID NOT.
Before yall start Bashing the USVI please look past the headlines and read the story but before doing that please pay close attention to the author of that story your very own Dean the sportsman Greenaway he was the one that made the submission so if you want to throw words at someone throw them at him!!!
BVI arrivals to face multiple tests, quarantine, limited movement and electronic tracking
BY DEAN GREENAWAY Special to The Daily News
taken from daily news newspaper
It’s just a heads up for tourists. Do what you want, open when you want, but don’t pretend that there aren’t obstacles to clear for the tourists.
I don’t know why anyone would be upset about that article. I have listened to Honorable Minister Malone three times this week – each time he stated there would be no “day trippers” until March of 2021 because the four day quarantine was mandatory to keep the BVI safe. It seems like the newspaper is just, shockingly, reporting the news.
As a US Virgin Islander and a Belonger, that headline hurts real badly.
I make money here,I make money there. And right now I make no money in the BVI!!!
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!
The fact is that USVI just has done a better (but by no means perfect) job of managing the virus issue. The fact is that the BVI authorities are too worried about making the wrong decision and seem paralyzed by fear. There is no perfect answer. Logical thinking, and trial and error is the only way out
USVis opened in July to tourism, but a few weeks later had to shut down until there was improvement. They have since started back up, and have every intention of closing if the numbers go the wrong way. The interesting thing, is that of the thousands of visitors to St. Thomas, there have only been 44 travel related cases, meaning that the risk from outside visitors is not particularly high. By contrast, 94% of cases in St. Thomas have been associated with close contact or community transmission. It would seem that requiring a test before coming, and perhaps one upon arrival would be a reasonable compromise.
Second point: Many yachts generally leave the E coast on Nov 1. It takes 10 days to get here. That can be verified upon arrival through electronic navigation. It’s unlikely crews will be positive after such a transit, but they could be tested upon arrival, or after waiting 4 days to verify. But since that is not happening, they’re not coming here.
Third point: If you’re going to make poeple quarantine, develop the infrastructure to make it as pleasant as possible. The whole issue of having a security guard to make sure you do is absolutely insane. Does/did the BVI require the same for belongers, at their cost, who tested positive?
There is no perfect answer, but the present protocol will kill the tourist season
The security is for the returned locals/expats who have been shown to disregard quarantine protocols.
Please be precise not the Expats but locals and locals that entered illegally.
It’s not crazy to require security guards when the Minister owns the security company!
Enjoying beautiful ST. John. Was suppose to spend 8 days in the BVI, due to the crazy protocols, decided to hop over to ST. John.
I bet you are a Caucasian who is maskless and doesn’t mind spreading COV-19 to the island locals.
The stupidest comment yet.. grow up…native American.. Hopi
I worked in the Tourism Industry and met many nice tourists who became my friends, and we are Facebook friends, some used to do charter in the BVI, now I see them posting pictures in USVI some visit at least four times for the year.
look how we are so so good at majoring in minors. Take a headline and run with it. It is what it is and it is not a lie. There are no more day trips and that’s the truth. So what if we make it to the headlines. BVI people too weak. It got problems outya and ayo blowing the trumpet on a headline while the article itself is factual. The newspaper editor is who chose his headline and not the contributor of the story. Ayo can censor VINO, BVINews, Platinum and Beacon, but go over the waters go tell people who accustom of freedom of speech to take it down and we will see how it goes.
Can we get our children in school and properly educated? This is another month end and many don’t know how their rent, mortgage or car note will get paid, not everybody can put 3 meals on their table for their families, people have their taxi to pay for and no income, sufferation is real in here. And ayo talking piss about an article. Geeze
22 dead in the USVI where laws and regulations are not enforced. The BVI attempts to keep its people safe and persons complain. Even in the USA 230,000 dead, 1000 deaths daily, over 80,0000 new cases daily.
What the BVI Government is doing makes sense. Who will pay to take care of infected visitors?
Amen Joe
Lol if it’s one headline that fit it’s purpose was this one. Congratulations Daily News. You did soo good even another news article reposted. They posted the headline but not the story. (Plot twist) the article was done by a BVI lander. Instead of people focus on their own problem we find others to involve in their mess. It’s not that deep people because there are no lies in the article. Take your anger on the people who implemented such protocols.
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