Empty beaches likely for months to come...

[VVHT]

Rob, thanks for keeping us posted on the runnings on the island.

We are all on the same boat and the tide is going out. No one knows how far out the tide will go, but we are all in this together.
The world as we knew it has changed. When the tide stops receding, then we will evaluate where we are.

Jamaicans are survivors and they will survive this Pandemic. Some of our favorite Hotels, Restaurants and Bars may not survive.

I cannot predict the future, but I hope to be back in Jamaica when I'm able.

I was on a Booze Cruise in Aruba in January 1991 when Bank of New England was taken over by the Feds. This was during the Savings and Loan Crisis from 1988 to 1995 when 1/3rd of all Savings & Loan Banks failed in the US. It was a very difficult time in the US and most of the world. We used to say "Stay alive until 1995".
Somehow we survived.

My parents survived The Great Depression. It wasn't easy, but they made it through. Some of their stories of surviving have a lot more meaning today, then when they were told to me as a child.

We will get through this and so will Jamaica.

VVHT

[Rob]

Opening up the Jamaica economy isn’t because it’s safe but it’s the economic reality here in Jamaica…
Right now Jamaicans are starving, committing suicide, dying because of drug abuse, etc…..
Coronavirus is killing more Jamaicans than the disease itself…….true

Cool Runnings, Marko

Suicides? Starving? Dying from drug abuse? A bold statement from someone who is not even HERE!

[Rob]

If the Lockdowns, Curfews and Border Closings aren't lifted soon our beloved Jamaica is going to have an economic "collapse"....
forget about the beaches, swimming and snorkeling wi all love to do.....there will be no Jamaica....that's a fact

Cool Runnings, Marko

Marko,

A fact? It is your opinion, yes.

Let's look at the facts. Last week PM Holness stated that his cabinet is laying the foundations for plans to reopen the economy. Just yesterday the government added the construction industry to the list of exemptions so that workers can come and go freely to their contruction site during day or night.

The lockdown, not lockdowns, is only for the parish of St. Catherine and was extended for 3 days until May 1st. This is to give the health agencies a few extra days to track down and test the remaining 50 BPO (call centre) workers from Alorica. That single business accounts for 227 of Jamaica's 364 cases of Covid. That is well over half of all the cases. The call centre workers virtually all reside in St. Catherine thus the need for the island's single lockdown. It did not work out as initially planned by the government, measures were eased and talk of an island wide lockdown pretty much ground to a halt. If it can't work in one parish, trying it island wide would be futile.

The current 6pm to 6am curfew runs until May 6th, and the prevailing opinions are that it will be eased. Even with the curfew, supermarkets, pharmacies, corner shops, hairdressers & barbershops, restaurants (take out for the most part) and even the lotto shops are all open.

A few hotels are still operating for the few remaining "stranded" visitors, but most closed due to no new visitors.

Jamaica has survived hurricanes that have killed people, wiped out buildings, water, electricity, phone service, roads, delivery channels grinding the entire island and the economy to a halt for months or longer. Jamaica has come back from much worse disasters. All infrastructure is still in place.

The talk we hear around town from many people is that this maybe a necessary "reset" of society. Things are moving slower now and some like the change. If you are not shopping, there is really no place to go other than the beach. Covid hasn't effected the beach enviromentally except to make it the waters cleaner and more abundant with sea life.

Perhaps if you were actually on the island you would be aware of these facts.

[Rob]

And for latest exceptions from the St. Catherine lockdown.... from the Observer:

"State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, has informed fishermen have been exempted from the St Catherine curfew orders outlined under the Disaster Risk Management Act.

Greens statement follows public complaints from fishermen and seafood operators that their livelihood has been impacted by the curfew.

The state minister said it was never the intention of the orders to impede fisherfolk.

“The St Catherine curfew order has been amended to specifically provide for fishermen to be able to go out to sea, and the next step is to ensure that there is coordination between our hardworking law enforcement officers so that everyone is on the same page,” Green said in a statement."

This is just the latest step in the reopening of the economy. Since Covid started, there has always been a delicate balance for the government, how to save lives and not allow the population to become hungry or worse.

Jamaica is a smart, resilient country.

[Rob]

The only lockdown in Jamaica will be removed May 1st....

From the Observer:

Lockdown of St Catherine to be lifted tomorrow

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lates...fted_tomorrow_