Foreign-based Trinis feel safer from virus at home

MANY foreign-based TT citizens stuck at home because of the closed borders have had to make sudden and drastic changes to their daily lives, with many depending on generosity of friends and family for their extended accommodation.

Two of them agreed to go on the record and told Sunday Newsday they feel safer here in TT than where they had made their new homes.

Janet Joseph, 74, spent almost her entire adult life studying and working in the UK, visiting TT occasionally for vacation and important events. She worked here for a short period year ago at St Ann's Hospital.

She more recently arrived in Trinidad on February 21 to spend time with her elderly aunt, who had been ill.

"Unfortunately she passed on March 10," Joseph said – that was the day before the World Health Organization declared covid19 a pandemic.

"Because of the covid the funeral was delayed until the 23rd (March). So I didn't want to come all this way to visit her and miss the funeral, you know?"

Joseph's original return flight to the UK was for March 21, two days before the funeral, so she decided to stay in TT instead.

"I mean there were a few disruptions in terms of the flights, as you would go from St Lucia to Gatwick (London). With all that was going on and the stress of my aunt passing, I just couldn't be bothered," she said. "And then, of course, the lockdown came soon after."

Joseph said she has decided to stay put even for a while after the dust settles, but will eventually return to her post-retirement home in the Gambia. She spends most of her time between the UK and the west African country. She has children and grandchildren in the UK, whom she wants to spend time with before returning to the Gambia.

"After retiring, I did a bit of travelling around and looking for somewhere to retire, somewhere safe, not too expensive, with some sunshine," said Joseph.

Fortunately she does not have dependants or pressing obligations in either country and even so, says she feels more at ease in TT than the UK, in particular, for the moment.

"I think it's quite safe here. I think the government is doing everything (it can). Obviously, I feel safer here than in the UK. Definitely."

She is currently staying with her cousin in Belmont.

Newsday spoke with another person who lives abroad but no longer has a job, and faces an uncertain future.

Kristoff Gomes was born and grew up in Diego Martin. He now lives in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

"I came just after Carnival finished, just to visit family and spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of work environment in the States," Gomes said."I was scheduled to leave on April 9 to get back to making money without leaving too big a gap. I suppose that's no longer possible.

The 24-year-old, who is unmarried and has no children, has had to make himself at home by his mother again, which he regrets.

He said he did not intentionally wait until the last minute to leave before the borders closed.

"(Doing so means) I would just be a dependant on my mother's back. (She) has had her shifts at work cut short and is barely scraping by as it is.

While the covid19 pandemic was picking up force, Gomes was laid off from his job as a store front clerk at a business called Vaporshark in Florida.

"I ended up getting laid off due to the store closing down. I don't know if the coronavirus had a hand in it or it was just a bad area to put a store."

Asked at what point he became anxious about returning to Florida, Gomes said, "Once the US advised they were taking flights for one more week (mid-March). But I never thought it would drag on as long as it has and potentially will."

He has considered applying for a job in TT, if they are available.

"Money has to be made. Right now, I'm the household dishwasher, mostly just because my dad pops a blood vessel whenever he sees dirty dishes and (either) yells about it every time or looks at it and then looks at us, and you know..."

"I accepted that I have to do them now," Gomes added.

Apart from doing chores, he listens to music and watches movies to keep occupied.

"But I'm going stir crazy. My brother's girl made hair bleach. I dabbed some on my head for kicks."

Although his everyday life is rooted in Florida, he feels considerably safer in TT than in the US and especially Florida.

"Florida had 'spring breakers' – a massive influx of people with no care at all," Gomes said. "And hygiene in Florida is generally poor."