Young: Over 330,000 TT nationals outside

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young has said TT citizens overseas are trying to use a particular Caricom country as "a jumping point" to enter TT while its borders are closed. He did not name the country.

He added there are over 330,000 TT nationals overseas right now.

At the virtual health news conference on Wednesday, Young said the people who returned home from Barbados on Tuesday "were in a very, very different category, even before they arrived in Barbados."

He said he had spoken with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Attorney General Dale Marshall about this on March 23. Young said he agreed that this group could come home once they completed their quarantine and covid19 testing in Barbados.

They are currently at the covid19 step-down facility at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua.

Young also disclosed the Prime Minister had instructed Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses to write to the Caricom country that TT nationals and non-nationals were trying to use to enter TT. While TT respected that country's right to keep its borders open, Young said, it was asked to respect TT's decision to close its borders. That country, Young continued, was also asked not to " permit your good offices to be used by those who wish to compromise our current border measures."

With Japan, Singapore and South Korea experiencing covid19 resurgences after they relaxed their restrictions, Young declared, "We have no intention at this stage to allow our borders to become porous to allow persons free flow of access."

As result, Young said, exemptions for people who want to enter TT "are continuing in the strictest of ways."

He warned that if even 100 or 200 of the 330,000 TT nationals who are overseas were allowed to return, there is a fear of them " bringing a second wave of the virus."

He empathised with 250 TT nationals who are stranded on cruise ships.

Young said a CCN TV6 story about a person in Venezuela who claimed he went to Margarita to look for cancer treatment for a relative was "completely fake and false" He added the person's family have distanced themselves from his claims.

On TT nationals stranded in Venezuela and Margarita, Young said hotels there have agreed to charge them US$10 per night for accommodation.

He said conversations with the Suriname government and the local employers of TT nationals in Suriname, informed him those people are "well stocked" in terms of money and are staying in safe environments.