By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
SHAKARA Rolle, a Bahamian woman who is now stuck in the United States amid the COVID-19 crisis, is counting down the days when she can return home to her family.
After living in Kaminokawa, Japan for almost a year, Ms Rolle said she was looking forward to being home and reuniting with her friends and relatives while on break.
However, her long anticipated plan to return home did not go as she expected. She left Japan on March 24 en route to the United States. Once she arrived at a Florida airport on March 25, she found out Bahamasair had suspended its operations so she could not fly into Grand Bahama as planned.
She told The Tribune: “I was supposed to leave on March 31, but the last day of school was March 23 so I left (Japan) on the 24th and as soon as I landed in the airport in Florida. . . I was greeted with a message from Bahamasair, saying they had suspended all operations.
“So, I stayed at a hotel not too far from the airport to see what was what and find out information and I found nothing. I was already exhausted. I had like three flights, I didn’t even eat for a whole day.
“And Florida was pretty much on lockdown.”
She spent the next day trying to book a flight with another airline, to no avail. Last Friday, the government announced it had closed the country’s airports to all incoming commercial flights.
Ms Rolle is now staying with friends in Texas.
However, she is unsure how long she can remain there.
“Two nights before, my friends from Texas invited me to stay here with him and his wife. That was the only option for me to take because I couldn’t stay in a hotel stranded by myself,” she told The Tribune.
She said she wished the government had given earlier notice about the border closure to help Bahamians abroad better prepare.
In an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 threat, the government imposed several prevention measures in the country last week, including a daily 24-hour curfew and the closure of airports and seaports to visitors. Incoming commercial flights were banned as of Friday, meaning even Bahamians heading home could not enter the country.
While noting the situation as “unfortunate” for those Bahamians who are unable to return home amid this health crisis, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said it was “essential” for officials to close the country’s borders to prevent the further spread of the highly infectious disease.
“It’s unfortunate, it’s unfortunate that there are Bahamians who are presently outside and because our borders are closed, they cannot return,” he said in the House of Assembly yesterday.
“However, Mr Speaker, decisions are made in the best interests of the country and that every country has done similar things, most I should say… and in fact in the Caribbean, they fall in a similar situation where citizens may be caught outside.
“However, for those who are caught outside, I would advise that they follow the recommendations and directives given by the various governments whatever territorial borders they are in.”
More like this story
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- WHEN CAN WE COME HOME? Families stranded by travel ban feel abandoned in US
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- Repatriation flights to resume this week
- BACK HOME: Husband describes trip back to Nassau with his wife
Comments
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago
I agree the govt should have given a notice that the borders were about to close. I suspect like everything else it wasn't thought ahead. like if we reach X milestone airports close in 2 days etc. They say not to panic but the rash actions are the very things that enduce panic and they keep doing it.
Islangal1 4 years, 7 months ago
I'm living in the UK and we were not given notice of the lockdown, it was reported the evening before that the government will have to take measure to lock the country down. This virus is spreading so rapidly and killing so many people, countries are having to respond at a rapid pace just to keep up. So, in the beginning, it was impossible to give a week or even two weeks notice.
I don't understand why people are complaining about being stuck outside The Bahamas. There are thousands of Brits stuck in Italy and France due to being on Holiday when borders were shut. They're enjoying the extended Holiday and communicating with friends and family back home via social media. Ms Rolle has food and shelter! All she has to do si stay safe on top of that, she's travelling from a hot spot. Asian! Anyone travelling from those areas was asked to self-isolate for 14 days if you are not showing symptoms and 7 days if you are! Judging from this she has not taken those measures.
joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago
@islandgal1.. financial resources might be an issue! You can't live on air and good looks in a foreign country!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago
@islandgal I mentioned 2 days, I think that's reasonable. They coukd have done it when they made the announcement tgat only Bahamians could travel home. They could have said you have 2 or 3 days to get home. I know a Bahamian whose flights just kept getting cancelled now theyre stuck. They could have gotten out on anotjer airline if they knew the airport would close before their rescheduled flight.
SP 4 years, 7 months ago
So sorry for Ms. Rolle. Being stuck in the US now with individual states implementing nonsensical rules and Trump tripping out is not a reassuring feeling!
Good luck.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
@SP please note. Your Supreme Ruler wants to give you the highest honour your nation has to offer to a loyal comrade like you: A VIP seat in the front car of his now gravyless choo choo train. All the best.
geostorm 4 years, 7 months ago
@Ms. Rolle, thank God that you are able to stay with your friend in Texas. Stay put until this crisis blows over and for God sake, be good to your hosts! Don't abuse their kindness, like many house guests do when they stay longer than 1 week.
Schemer18 4 years, 7 months ago
So look where she is coming from Japan!
Tug it out wherever you are until May 2020
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
Aug 2020
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago
the rapture
sweptaway 4 years, 7 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2020…
bahamianson 4 years, 7 months ago
The government should have given notice , is only have of the solution. The other part is, we need to think and use or logic. Just because your credit score says you can buy a million dollar house doesn't mean you should go out a buy a million dollar house. We all saw the signs, some of us chose to ignore the signs. It's just like anything else , some think and prepare and others don't.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago
there were no signs the airports would close when my friend left. When I saw the signs I reached out to them and said check with the airlines on your return flight. Maybe you want to come back early. money to book another flight was an issue. It's weird, the US rightfully so goes to such lengths to make sure Bahamians don't disappear in their country but Bahamians love these crappy 3rd world islands.
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