Vincentians must be tested before coming back home – PM Gonsalves

VINCENTIANS SEEKING to come home at this time must be tested for Covid-19 before they can do so.

So says Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who was speaking on the ‘Issues at Hand’ radio programme on Sunday, April 5.

“There are Vincentians who are still out there who want to come home you know, just like Vincentians overwhelmingly took the opportunity to come home between the 18th (March) and 28th (March) when we had the last flight,” he said.

Gonsalves disclosed that some employers want to organise charter flights for the Vincentians who work for them to return home.

But he said it was important for those persons to be tested, given the locations they would be coming from, particularly those on cruise ships.

“…The employers in the case for instance, of a cruise ship, who would like them to come, they would have to organise here, under our own supervision, quarantine facilities, after they have been tested properly overseas,” the prime minister said.

Gonsalves said while citizens cannot be denied the right to return home, there are parameters and protocols in place under which they can come.

And although some may reason that they shouldn’t be able to enter because of the virus, certain considerations must be given.

“We are not rushing on that because we will ask for certain tests to be done and certain protocols to be clearly and precisely established, particularly that you have the raging of the virus in New York…” he said.