Work permit & exemption holders blocked from entering IV
This decision comes following the discovery of the Territory's ninth confirmed case of COVID-19, on Saturday, August 1, 2020, in an individual who recently returned to the Territory.
According to reports, the individual returned from the Dominican Republic, which has the highest infection rate in the Caribbean.
According to the Government, in its announcement, the new measure comes as the Territory remains cautious and its restricted opening of the Territory’s borders continues.
Nationals & Permanent residents can return home
"At this time, the Government will continue to follow the protocol for the Controlled Re-entry of Nationals and Permanent Residents to the Virgin Islands during this COVID-19 Pandemic," the announcement said.
The VI public has been urged to continue adhering to the social distancing guidelines and wearing face masks, in addition to the washing of hands.
It remains unclear when the new restriction will lift as no timeline was provided.
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126 Responses to “Work permit & exemption holders blocked from entering IV”
Thank you VIP
country....
New cases daily
HON deputy Premier - please protect us. DO NOT allow anyone from the DR enter our country. Thank you sir
New cases daily
HON deputy Premier - please protect us. DO NOT allow anyone from the DR enter our country. Thank you sir
Wake up.
we have a female junior minister who is more productive in every avenue and she listens to us the black locals and shows interest in our concerns. just remember that most of us bvi landers have families that are overseas what will happen to them. school will re-open and these kids will be deprive of a education because of men in power making decisions that pleases them and their high class friends.
we all know that covid-19 is on a rise and yes the bvi is a small group of islands that we have to try our best to keep safe but how can you keep a humans in a cage locked away from even our Caribbean neighbors while they are open and living their lives with the virus under control. this cage life will cause people to commit crime, go crazy, start taking their own lives even. it is only a matter of time, I will like to ask these expats that are here in the bvi to please u all see what is going on here so try to cool out with the illegal activities and follow the laws of the country. also we bvi landers we need to stop separating our selves from the expats because most of us men have expat wives and kids. we need unity in this bvi and it can only happen if we stop the crap and live as one people. unity …
united we stand, divided we FALL.
remember most of our imports come from the Caribbean countries through the us.
you all can bash this all u want but know that the bvi is noting with out the expats black or white. try to treat every one of them equal.
build a wall around the bvi you say......what so it can be filled with water and drown all the heartless people in it ??
one minute everyone saying ( including government) down islanders must leave. next minute they saying how important it is that we forge good relations with "our down island brothers and sisters" because we need their resources .!!!!! typical BVI that is....if we need something from you you are our best friends...but when that need runs our...close the door on the way out.!!
its disgusting its hypocritical and its just shows the world who we really are...............
does the government really think covid targets work permit holders ?? why on earth " because of the recent # 9 case" does this justify blocking workpermit and exempt from returning.....if you dont want them back because of scarcety of jobs...then just say so.......grow a.pair please.. stop hiding.
if you have to stop people from returning...how on eartg are we going to reopen our borders.
government so hell bent on protecting their legacy of zero cases they missing the bigger picture. with borders open we are never...bo way..going to maintain zero cases...so need to start enforcing the distancing..wearing of masks etc...they did such a good job over these holidays...( NOT)..police couldnt care less with the crowds. just drive west end during the boat races to see hundreds if people...shoulder to shoulder...no masks.
kidding your self
Tjis is true even forbwork permit holders etc. The same should apply any country that does not have Covid under control.
Make a list of countries in separate categories. Do not include any country that does not have Covid under control. The World Health Organization publishes statistics on an ongoing basis. You can see the per capita infection rates and death rates and also deaths to cases ratio. In addition The Economist news magazine has an online tracker that estimates the real death rate by comparing average total death rate from all causes over the past few years deaths to current total death rates to catch COVID deaths that may not be included in official figures because of inadequate testing, or other factors. Regional Caribbean agencies are also tracking figures.. So sufficient data is there to differentiate one country from another.
Suggested categories for countries could be "Restricted" and "Cleared" based on available COVID statistics such as infection rates. None of these categories would include places where COVID is out of control, which would be outright banned. For persons traveling from or who have visited Restricted countries in the past 6 months or other appropriate period, only allow persons into the BVI if they are a BVIslander, Belanger, work permit holder, exempted, or hold a NBLH License with immigration card AND have had a negative test within 48-72 hours prior to arrival in BVI AND be tested on arrival and quarantined until test results available. Put isolation protocols in place in the event of positive test results.
For Cleared countries allow any visitor to enter but on the same testing and quarantine and isolation requirements.
If you have been in a country which is not on the Restricted or Cleared list you simply cannot enter the BVI at this time. Update the lists monthly while monitoring the statistics within and outside the BVI.
Charge fees for entry clearance for persons who are not citizens, nationals, exempt, or holding work permits. and make some money. Fees would be entirely justified because of the possibility they could become a burden on the health system and unlike persons living and working in the BVI they are not paying into NHI.
This might not be a perfect solution but the experts can consider something like this and use their expertise to improve on it.
BVI will have to re-open borders at some point so its best to start devising and testing systems now and collecting data on what can work while keeping healthy and safe.
What happened to those health care workers who were turned back is unacceptable (I am assuming the account is true). Protocols should be in place for health care workers and especially if arrangements were made prior to the policy.