Trinidad to start reopening Tuesday, but borders to remain closed until June

(CMC): Trinidad and Tobago says its borders are to remain closed until June, even as it embarks on softening restrictions to re energise the economy, which had been halted by COVID-19.  

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said the country is to commence the first phase of the reopening on Tuesday to allow food establishments, restaurants, street vendors among others to open businesses. However, there will be no in-service dining and there should be no congregation of more than five people.

The reopening follows announcements made by the government two weeks ago that it was contemplating the measure.

Hardware stores, pharmacies and supermarkets will be allowed to operate within a 12-hour period and three companies involved in exporting products, such as cement, would be allowed to operate.

Schools will remain closed until September and churches will also remain closed to reduce gatherings and maintain social distancing. 

“We can’t let our guards down, do everything to preserve this situation and the only way we can do this…is to behave as if you are carrying the virus and observe all the hygiene practises,” Rowley said.

“What we are doing is tentatively returning to some semblance of commerce,” he added, adding that testing would continue to ensure that there is no increase in cases of the virus here.

He continued: “This is the new normal,” Rowley said, noting that if during the first phase, there are no 'worrisome change' in the current situation, the second phase would begin from May 24 until June 6."

Rowley said during the second phase, the entire manufacturing sector would be opened, and public sector construction work.

The prime minister said under the third phase, which begins on June 7, all public servants “will come out to work”, even while the authorities may consider alternative days for employees to turn up for work.

He said that public transport capacity would be increased to 75 per cent and warned that progress going forward would be based on the island graduating to a state of normalcy.

“The only response is to resort to what we have done and which we know has worked for us before,” Rowley said, adding “We don’t want to go into that direction."

Rowley said he remains optimistic that beaches would open under the third phase, malls, as well as cinemas.

Border closure to be maintained

On the issue of the borders, Rowley said he was pleased that his administration had taken the firm decision to close them “because if our virus load in the population is so low, then the only place, other than our own population growing it here by misbehaviour…would be an inflow of infected people from the outside."

“And to prevent that from happening we do not want to squander the good results of the sacrifices we have made  so we will maintain our border closure until we are satisfied that the external environment is such that we can accept into Trinidad and Tobago, persons from heavily infected areas outside.”

In the meantime, Rowley said arrangements would be made with the relevant authorities, for those in Trinidad who would want to leave.

“Trinidad and Tobago is not a prison…it is quite possible we might be able to allow some kind of traffic where people can leave if there is a need for that service. If that need is not there then we will just continue to stay battle down until we are satisfied that bringing people in on schedule flights is a sensible thing to do.”

Trinidad has recorded some 116 cases of COVID-19.

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