THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Bahamians are increasingly approaching Bahamas embassies and consulates overseas requesting financial assistance for COVID-19 testing, quarantine, accommodation and airline ticket changes.
As a result, the ministry advised Bahamians travelling abroad to take sufficient funds with them in the event that they run into additional expenses as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
“The ministry wishes to advise that our overseas missions do not have sufficient discretionary financial resources to accommodate and maintain persons who find themselves stranded because of a lack of funds,” a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“Persons travelling in this COVID environment should anticipate that there will be delays and interruptions in their schedules that may result in them having to remain in these overseas jurisdictions longer that they had intended.
“Bahamians who are in distress should continue to contact the nearest Bahamas overseas mission and it should be reminded that though each request for assistance is considered on its own merits, the general policy governing the award of financial assistance to Bahamians in foreign jurisdictions is to have a family member, or some other individual, deposit with the Consular Division of the ministry an amount equivalent to the amount requested of the overseas mission by the person who, because of unforeseen circumstances resulting from COVID-19 protocols, requires assistance.
“The funds will then be advanced to the individual by the nearest consular office, whose funds will then be reimbursed by the ministry.”
Comments
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
This sounds like nothing but a corrupt scheme devised by the ministry of foreign affairs to enable unscrupulous Bahamians to exchange (swap) their Bahamian dollars for US dollars without going through the banking system in The Bahamas. You can almost smell Darren Henfield's approval all of this one!
mandela 4 years, 2 months ago
Hey! if you can't afford to travel and if it's not of the utmost importance why are you, unless it's life or death no one should be leaving their homes much less traveling, so if any person is traveling not under these circumstances then F$$k them they should be on their own, why should I pay for your bulls$it, things stuff F4$K YOU.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
I wouldn't travel to the US now to pick up lottery winnings...
I can't imagine why anyone would, anything you want out of the US can be bought online.
Why go to coronavirus central? That's just crazy...
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
I suspect many North Americans feel the same way about vacationing in The Bahamas anytime soon. After all, there are many tourist destinations in North America that they will likely feel safer visiting in the coming years. And unlike The Bahamas, the public health systems of the US and Canada are not totally overwhelmed and completely dysfunctional.
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