By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
SOME residents of Harbour Island are complaining that tourists are not following COVID-19 protocols, but MP for the area Ricky Mackey told The Tribune that the matter is under control and protocols will be enforced.
A resident of Harbour Island took to social media yesterday complaining that visitors from the United States were seen on the island not wearing masks and not adhering to social distancing.
“Just yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon at about 6pm we had a conference call with all of the hotel owners and stakeholders in Harbour Island along with the minister of tourism,” Mr Mackey explained.
“At this time, the discussion relative to social distancing, the wearing of face masks and it was indicated to them, along with some of the other concerns that they may have, that we will be ensuring that all of these protocols would be strictly enforced.
“The hotels have agreed to convey that information on to their guests and I can say to you that while there are sporadic instances where there are persons who have been seen without their masks, the police are vigilantly on the streets and ensuring that does not happen.”
He said that under the guidance of ASP Nigel Rolle and Inspector Farquharson the protocols are being enforced and officers are very vigilant.
“Yes you will see a couple of persons without a mask,” Mr Mackey continued. “In fact I had to tell a couple of persons yesterday to wear their face masks, but they are pretty much abiding by the rules. Everyone is taking it seriously.
“I can say categorically that most persons are adhering to the face mask protocol. Wherever you go you would see that there are some people who are not adhering to it but they quickly adjust when they are told to wear their face mask. I am quite sure that you know there is a debate going on throughout the world in terms of the wearing of face masks but I can say categorically that there is great abidance by that here in Harbour Island.”
Harbour Island is known for its three-mile-long beach that bears pink sand and thousands of tourists flock there throughout the year for the natural beauty.
Mr Mackey addressed what could be fears of the Harbour Islanders since the borders opened to commercial international travel on Wednesday.
“Obviously there is a fear that is going on because we are first opening up now and persons are coming out and because of the spike in COVID cases that is taking place in neighbouring Florida, there are people who are concerned and rightly so I would say pretty much so that there is great adherence to the face mask rule,” he pointed out.
“I will tell you, everybody is very cautious about it and I am sure you have been noticing that some of the very persons that have been very much against the lockdown are now angry that we are letting tourists in, but we are adhering to the COVID-19 preventative protocols.”
Asked about the situation with the tourists, resident Aubrey Percentie said she feels the country should not be opened up so soon.
“I don’t feel comfortable with these people coming into our country so soon,” Ms Percentie said. “We can catch anything from them. They walking around with no mask on talking and laughing. We don’t know what’s going on with them. This is not fair to the citizens of this country. We were locked down for months and finally let out, now we have to be scared the tourist give us coronavirus.”
The Tribune also reached out to the manager of the tourist office in Harbour Island, but she was not available for comment at the time.
Comments
Amused 4 years, 5 months ago
Yes you will see a couple of persons without a mask,” Mr Mackey continued. “In fact I had to tell a couple of persons yesterday to wear their face masks, but they are pretty much abiding by the rules. Everyone is taking it seriously.
Which is it? Either they're following the rules or they're not
thps 4 years, 5 months ago
2 takeaways 1) They did not apply this warning approach to the curfews as they do with the masks. Persons were getting prosecuted but here, hey you mask on. 2) In less than 2 weeks, not only did they find an MP named Carlton Bowleg, but they discovered another one named Ricky Mackey.
akbar 4 years, 5 months ago
The same thing happening on those resorts in Abaco.
happyfly 4 years, 5 months ago
All Papa Doc did was scare the sh... out of these poor islanders for the last 4 months about how they were all going to die if one drop of covid got on them. That may have seemed like a great idea back in March so that he could impress other world leaders by convincing us all to lock down - when there was barely even a threat of the virus back then. Now the government coffers are empty and they simply don't have any money left to run the country and if they borrow more they will have to start giving up the country's sovereignty to the lenders. So all there is left to do is let the tourists in. The mismanagement of this crisis will go down as the most stupid thing the FNM has ever done and I will be surprised if the organization survives the next election, let alone win it. Instead of ignoring all of the hogwash spewing out of the WHO and the mainstream media and using the lockdown to get everyone prepared for the reality of this virus coming, whether we like it or not, Papa has spent the entire time obsessing on one case here and one case there, obsessing on whether we can let more than two people go in a boat, or go to the food store on a Friday. Not one mention about getting our immune system healthy and prepared. Not one mention about recognizing who the vulnerable are (old and immune-compromised) and how we can all focus on protecting them whilst the young and healthy maintain the economy. Not one word about the truth that virus's do not magically go away one day and that we all needed to brace ourselves. Seriously - Did that so-called man of medicine really think that if we all followed his stupid instructions for three months that no one would ever catch covid 19? And these poor people that think some homemade masks are going to keep an airborne virus at bay, or keeping tourists out for another six months is going to do anything but delay the inevitable. All I can say is lets prey that the death rate is nowhere near as bad as the PM would have us believe because the government has done everything wrong to protect us in the long run
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