Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association vice president Carol-Ann Birchwood-James believes the measures and penalties outlined by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi for the operation of safe zones is all part of the "new normal" as the Government slowly reopens the economy in the midst of the covid19 pandemic.
At a news conference on Saturday at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Al-Rawi outlined the procedures to be undertaken by employers and patrons from October 11 to contain the spread of covid19 at designated safe zones – restaurants, gyms, cinemas, casinos, private members clubs and water parks.
Al-Rawi said employees at these establishments must be vaccinated but those who are unable to do so will be required to submit either a medical exemption or deferral certificate issued by a medical officer from within the public health care system.
He added employees will also be required to present an approved rapid test or PCR test along with the certificates every 14 days.
Al-Rawi said employers who breach the regulations for the management of safe zones in their establishments will be fined $25,000 while unvaccinated patrons will be fined $5,000.
He said penalties are still being worked out for employers and patrons who, upon inspection, knowingly present fraudulent documents.
Giving her personal views, Birchwood-James said the measures are fines outlined by the AG are a step in the right direction.
“We have to start somewhere because we have to open up a lot of our businesses, especially the bars. We need more people vaccinated and need to establish safe zones and, therefore, if you want to enter a bar, you want to sit down and dine you have to be vaccinated. So, I am agreeing that the workers be vaccinated,” she said on Saturday.
However, Birchwood-James believes some clarity is still needed for the operations of restaurants within hotels.
“Remember, we are not asking for our visitors to be vaccinated but we have bars and restaurants in these areas. So, therefore, they are going to have to establish a safe zone in some of our hotels. This is of relevance to us.”
She added, “I can see certain questions that will come up as regards to hotels, when you open your restaurants, you will have guests in your restaurants, in your hotels and they will need some kind of restaurant facility. So, things like that will have to be worked out because a hotel is not a single entity and you are not saying that unvaccinated people can’t come to hotels.
“You are going to have a mixture in there and how are you going to deal with unvaccinated people in your restaurants facilities? I could see questions being asked.”
Birchwood-James observed safe zones are already in effect in many countries.
“This is the way to go here because many international countries have opened up. You cannot go anywhere without your vaccination card and for those who have to have an exemption, you walk with your exemption. That is just part of the new normal.”
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