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Thread: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

  1. #1
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    Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Where to start…..

    Jamaica is doing its best to try and act as one government with one voice, but sometimes not everyone gets the memo.

    I had a short conference session with some of the JTB last night, it was 8pm on a Saturday so they are working well after normal business hours. It seems on Friday, a PR firm hired by the JTB, Finn Partners, put out a Press Release stating that visitors “must adhere to the Stay in Zone order, which requires persons to remain at their hotel or resort within the Resilient Corridor for the duration of their stay.” This is somewhat ambiguous as the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism have repeatedly stated that the stay in zone order means just that, stay in the Covid Resilient Corridor, the entire corridor. I don’t know for sure how that order changed or just the wording added, but it could easily be due to the number of infections being detected on incoming arrivals from the US. Out of the 6 new cases reported yesterday, 4 came from the US. The Ministry of Health may be directing this order, which is well within their powers to protect the country.

    The JTB officials I spoke with still maintain that the stay in zone means stay in zone, but the press release was on the JTB letterhead, so as of the Friday press release, I would recommend that all visitors stay on their property for the time being. I am hoping we will find out more when the offices open on Monday as the confusion is helping no one, but with the attractions to soon open, this all might be a moot exercise. The wording would have to change drastically to allow visitors to attend the attractions.

    In all this confusion, this presents major problems for certified properties that have no dining facilities, of which many have been approved and are accepting guests.

    TDPCo, Tourism Product Development Co., is the entity in charge of certifying the properties, attractions, restaurants, bars, etc. There are a tremendous number of places to certify, so they are doing their best to get their job accomplished.

    The Ministry of Health’s number one job is to protect the health of everyone on Jamaican soil, residents and visitors alike. The number of Covid deaths has remained at 10 for a couple months, so they are doing the best they can to accomplish that goal.

    The Ministry of Tourism is in charge of making Jamaica the premier destination in the Caribbean. They have been implementing fluid guidelines to fit the needs as they arise. There is no COVID-19 manual, so they are doing the best job they can to accomplish a nearly impossible job.

    There is a bit of damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario happening here, with each agency trying their best but not all the direct goals are the same. The end goal is the same, but the individual goals are not.

    Which brings us to the Prime Minister who is in the unenviable job of balancing the health of the people with the economy of the country. So far he seems to be doing a great job with that balancing act.

    This is a highly complex undertaking with many different goals and points of view. And we should be hearing more very shortly which will hopefully end the confusion.
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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Thanks, Rob, for keeping us up to date with the ever changing situation in Jamaica. Helen and I have a few months yet before our winter reach; so, I'm pretty sure that things might change a few more times in the interim. We will watch on your website for future updates. In the meantime, I hope that everyone visiting behaves so that all in Jamaica are safe from this pandemic. WM

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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Why would they be opening corridors and now attractions If you have to stay on resort? Doesn’t make sense. Tanks for the update, though. Hopefully a wording error and not a scale back.

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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Rob, how is it known that four were from America? . would they have developed symptoms and gotten tested once there?

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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Quote Originally Posted by original spanky View Post
    Rob, how is it known that four were from America? . would they have developed symptoms and gotten tested once there?
    They were tested here. Showing symptoms WILL get you tested, but some are tested based on the screening.
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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb111 View Post
    Why would they be opening corridors and now attractions If you have to stay on resort? Doesn’t make sense. Tanks for the update, though. Hopefully a wording error and not a scale back.
    Exactly, it doesn't make sense.
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  7. #7
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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Rob you said "Out of the 6 new cases reported yesterday, 4 came from the US." This should not a surprise as historically more than 2/3 of tourists traveling to Jamaica are from USA.

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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Oil View Post
    Rob you said "Out of the 6 new cases reported yesterday, 4 came from the US." This should not a surprise as historically more than 2/3 of tourists traveling to Jamaica are from USA.
    The other two are under investigation, to see where they contracted the cases locally. Today's numbers are 16 case, 14 imported from flights from the US, and two from contact with people who came from the US....
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  9. #9
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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    Rob,
    Are these cases tourist related or Nationals returning home?

  10. #10
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    Re: Current JTB Press Release and some confusion

    They don't generally release that info. Medical test results, even Covid, are considered confidential. Here is the wording from the Observer:

    "The new cases consist of 10 females and six males, ranging in age from two to 56 years. The cases were recorded in St Ann (two), Clarendon (one), St Catherine (three), Westmoreland (two), St James (four), Manchester (two), Portland (one) and Kingston and St Andrew (one).

    Fourteen cases are imported, all of whom arrived on flights from the United States. Two have since repatriated. The two other new cases are contacts of imported cases."

    At least two are visitors as they have already been repatriated. Which two? No way to know.

    Most Jamaican nationals who were stranded in the States have been repatriated as well. Jamaicans coming to the island now generally live in the US or share time between the two countries. They come as visitors, not returnees.

    The reason I am only mentioning the US is that up til now, the US has been the only country with tourist flights to Jamaica. From the Minister of Tourism:

    "Right now, all of the visitors who come to Jamaica in this first phase are from the US. This week will be the first flight coming in from the UK. If we should put a ban on the US, the effect of it would be to shut down the industry.”
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