McNeill renews call for clear repatriation protocol
Published:Tuesday | May 19, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Opposition Spokesman on Tourism Dr Wykeham McNeill has renewed his call for the Government to establish clear protocols for the repatriation of Jamaicans seeking to return home.
McNeill was among Opposition members at the Falmouth Pier in Trelawny on Tuesday as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Adventure of the Seas sailed into port with 1,044 Jamaican workers on board.
They will disembark over the next 48 to 72 hours, tested for COVID-19 and taken to the Bahia Principe hotel to await the result.
Those who are positive will be taken into state isolation, while those who are negative will be allowed to go home for 14 days in quarantine.
There had been intense anxiety over the past few days as crew members awaited government approval to dock in Falmouth.
It prompted calls by the Opposition for the Government to act quickly in bringing home the Jamaicans.
"They have to let our partners know and the whole of Jamaica, what are the protocols and policies in place for persons arriving back. The first stage is going to be Jamaicans and if we can’t get that right, how can we expect to open it up to visitors to come to Jamaica?” questioned McNeill.
He said once Jamaica's partners know the protocols, they will follow.
"What took place at Bahia Principe and at the airport in Kingston is unacceptable," he argued.
Last week, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and Minister Without Portfolio for National Security Matthew Samuda had to rush to the Bahia Principe to quell unease over the quality of the food and other conditions for people in quarantine.
It followed complaints of lengthy processing for people arriving in Kingston under the government's controlled re-entry programme.
"When you have a situation where the Prime Minister says he has been in discussions from April and on Saturday night, your Minister of Health tells you that he doesn’t know anything about this, then you have a problem because the Ministry of Health has an important role to play in this,” McNeill said.
He was referring to utterances by the two Government members about the ship workers who were heading to Jamaica at the time.
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