BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 5, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris has informed that while conditions set for the first cruise ship that returns to St. Kitts and Nevis in July are that the crew and passengers must be fully vaccinated, the cruise people have in return said that when they go sightseeing they should only be dealing with people who are fully vaccinated.
The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is on the itinerary of the Seabourn Odyssey, a ship in the ultra-luxury Seabourn Cruise Line. When it resumes Caribbean sailings in July this year, St. Kitts and Nevis has been scheduled for weekly visits.
“One of the requirements is that every crew member and every passenger on those vessels should be fully vaccinated,” said Prime Minister Harris.
He however explained that the cruise people are saying in return that on arrival here, when they go sightseeing, they should only be dealing with people who are equally fully vaccinated. He noted that the idea was to have the risk on both sides, those on the ship and the host country, to be minimised.
Dr Harris made the remarks on Tuesday May 4 at the Sylvia Garnette Primary Health Care Facility in Tabernacle, where he and Attorney General the Hon Vincent Byron Jr, and security heads had assembled for the administration of their second dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
“It is therefore urgent that all who are in the taxi business get themselves vaccinated,” advised Prime Minister Harris. “It is equally important that all those who work at Caribelle Batik, at Brimstone Hill, at Black Rocks, and wherever else – every restaurant become fully vaccinated.”
According to Dr Harris, the vaccine is offered free of cost, and the government is expecting citizens and residents to do the wise thing at this particular moment in time by getting vaccinated.
The highly successful session was coordinated by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Delores Stapleton-Harris. Giving out the doses was Nurse Paula Boddie, who was later joined by Community Nurse Manager at the Molineux Health Centre, Doris Bradshaw. They were assisted by Nurse Vivien Greene-Simon, Nurse Shirmel Welcome, and Receptionist Mrs Jasmine Shelford.
Also taking the second dose included Commissioner of Police Hilroy Brandy, Commander of the St. Kitts Nevis Defence Force, Lt. Col J. Anthony Comrie, Superintendent of Police, and member National Covid-19 Task Force, Cromwell Henry, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, Major Walter Bass, and a number high ranking officers of the Police Force, Defence Force and Coast Guard.
Present, giving support, was Permanent Secretary in Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Andrew Skerritt.
There were also a number of civilians who turned up mostly for the first dose of the vaccine, and Prime Minister Harris congratulated them for doing the right thing by coming forward, and to start the journey that will take the country back to prosperity.
“I am happy that I have come to my own hometown of Tabernacle, to take the second shot,” said the Honourable Prime Minister in conclusion. “I have done it of course for my own personal protection, I have done it for my large and extended family of loved ones and friends and constituents. But I have done it most importantly because I appreciate that this is necessary for this country that I love.”