Editor’s Note: It has now been confirmed that the protocol for the filling out of applications to visit Anguilla begins on Friday, 21 August 2020 and not Monday 17th August.
Tourists, with itching ears, desirous of visiting Anguilla, have now been given the information they wanted to hear – although, perhaps cautiously, it is that they can now come to the island’s shores, but are required to apply for admission, among other matters. The process formally commences on Friday, August 21.
This was announced at the first press conference of the Government of the Anguilla Progressive Movement on Thursday afternoon, August 13. The announcement was made by the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, who has been assigned by the Executive Council to work towards the phased reopening of Anguilla’s tourism industry. The phased process will begin with the opening of villa accommodation.
“Persons wishing to come to Anguilla will soon have the opportunity to apply for entry into Anguilla for tourism purposes. This will begin as early as next week,” Mrs. Gumbs-Marie disclosed. “Pre-registration and approval, before the departure from the country where they are, to Anguilla, will be required through the completion of an application process and the application form will be available on beat COVID-19.ai. This will only initiate the process which will begin on August 21.”
The Parliamentary Secretary continued: “An electronic certificate, that authorizes travel to Anguilla, as a visitor, will only be issued when approved is given. They [ the visitors], must have a mandatory submission of a PCR test conducted 3-5 days prior to arriving in Anguilla; submission of a health insurance policy which will cover any treatment required for Covid-19 while on the island; and visitors will be required to undergo PCR testing for Covid-19 upon arrival in Anguilla.
“So, in this period, you are tested at the port of entry; you have the opportunity to leave from that port to your pre-approved villa; and you can wait there for the results. You are then subjected to isolation at your villa which means you cannot come out and interact with the public for 10 days; and on the 10th day you will receive another PCR test and, upon that being negative, you will be allowed to come out in the public…”
She added: “In the event of a positive test, the visitor will be required to isolate at a location approved by the Ministry of Health. (On a point of note, the use of rental vehicles is prohibited until visitors are cleared of a negative PCR test on day 10 of their visit.)”
The press conference was held on the printing day of The Anguillian newspaper – hence the “Stop Press” caption. Further information, with regards to all aspects of the Government’s press conference, will be provided in the upcoming issue of this newspaper.
