Guyana left in the dark

ST MAARTEN NEVER INFORMED GUYANA THAT ITS NATIONALS WERE
AMONG 20 COUNTRIES BANNED FROM ENTERING THAT CARIBBEAN
TERRITORY because the COVID-19 pandemic was “out of control” in those countries, Health
Minister, Dr Frank Anthony disclosed Thursday.
Dr. Anthony told www.aroundtheregions.com that Georgetown has not “seen anything officially
from St Maarten.”
As Guyana’s Health Minister, Anthony told this media house, “I haven’t seen any such
advisory”.
St Maarten’s Minister of Health, Social Development and Labour, Mr. Omar Ottley, in an
exclusive interview with this media house this week, insisted his country has notified Guyana
and Trinidad and Tobago about the current restrictions slapped on their nationals.
The two CARICOM states are the only regional territories among 20 countries banned from
entering St Maarten because the contagious and deadly COVID-19 is deemed to be of the “out-
of-control” in those nations.
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, India, Nepal,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela complete
the list of countries whose nationals are banned from entering St Maarten, a French and Dutch-
speaking Caribbean Island.
Anthony agrees it’s St Maarten’s right to determine who gets pass their ports of entry
“Every country would have its own requirements. As far as I am aware, St Maarten has a tiered
system…they have five levels, they rank themselves high. We haven’t seen anything officially
from St Maarten I haven’t seen any such advisory. Maybe there is, but I have not seen it,”
Minister Anthony said.

The Guyanese minister is skeptical that lockdowns are effective in curbing the spread of the viral
disease, citing Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts and Nevis among other countries.
Anthony argued that these countries have used lockdowns but nevertheless, have seen rises in
new cases.
Despite St Maarten’s tiered system of low risk, medium risk, high risk and banned countries,
Minister Ottley reported his country was experiencing a third wave of the deadly virus.
“We are decreasing, thank God. In correlation to the past four weeks, we were seeing an increase
and we scaled back nightlife (activities). We (also) increased vaccination measures, so we are
now beginning to see a decrease of active cases and we are thankful for that. We had a couple of
deaths within the past month unfortunately, but all those persons seem to be unvaccinated with
underlying symptoms,” the Minister explained in an earlier interview with this media house.
Quizzed whether it is opportune for CARICOM Health Ministers to agree to a universal protocol
for entry into all territories, Anthony was understandably skeptical about the success of the
proposed measure.
“I think it is worthwhile for the Caribbean Ministers of Health to have that kind of discussion but
I recall a couple months ago having a discussion regarding to testing and testing protocol and it
was difficult to come to an agreement and I think that it is the same thing that will happen…”
“Nevertheless, each country has established its own requirements for persons entering their
country. Those requirements as of now are basically would be test to see whether this person is
COVID positive or not. Obviously if they are positive, they are not allowed to travel. If they are
negative there are some requirements in terms of time periods. In addition to testing negative
there are countries that are requiring…that you quarantine, that also varies,” the Minister
explained.
He further explained: “Technically, the incubation period for the virus doesn’t make sense. Some
of the quarantine periods that some countries are requiring don’t make sense because if you
really want to keep somebody in and look at whether they develop the disease or not you need
more time.”

“In Guyana we have set up our protocol (which) requires that any person coming in must have a
PCR test. If that PCR test is done within 72 hours, upon arrival we allow you to go. Literally. If
it’s within the last five days or so, then you are required upon entry in Guyana to do a second
test. Within 24 hours we will get you that result and if you are positive you will have to go into
isolation.”
“If you are negative, we will allow you to continue your business,” the Minister said,
explaining the local protocol.