Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph Gonsalves has made it clear that he wants the vulnerable individuals who are being evacuated to be put into guesthouses as opposed to shelters, regardless of the cost. The vulnerable persons that the Prime Minister mentioned are: the elderly, shut ins, the disabled and persons with varying health problems.
“I want to see the elderly persons, the persons who have health problems, people who are shut ins; I want to see them being placed in the guesthouses and it hotels. It will cost more money but I don’t want the operation to be run as though it is a penny pinching NGO operation.” Gonsalves said.
The Prime Minister said that the guesthouses and hotels have indicated that they have about 800 rooms available for evacuees. He added that the government can reach out to other guesthouses and hotels that they have not been in contact with as yet to secure more rooms.
He said that he would also like to see certain families, based on their risk profiling be placed in guesthouses/hotels as well.
The Prime Minister during the press briefing also disclosed that hotels, guesthouses and cruise ships would require evacuees be vaccinated before entering.
