Tobago hotel association boss supports stay-at-home extension

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association President Chris James has welcomed the Government's decision to extend its stay-at-home order on non-essential activity for another two weeks to contain the spread of covid19.

The lockdown on non-essential movement was supposed to ended on April 30. The stay-at-home restrictions have been extended until May 10 while borders will now remain closed until May 15, pending the advice from medical experts.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday after the Prime Minister's announcement on Saturday, James said he was not surprised by the Government's decision."The two weeks extension is understood to make sure the spread does not get worse," he said."We will just have to wait and see what happens on May 10. It was expected there may have been an extension because there is no point in (businesses) opening again to have to close again."James also endorsed Dr Rowley's appeal for landlords to be compassionate to tenants who have fallen on hard times as a result of the covid19 restrictions."I want to endorse the sentiments about the landlords. We have got a number of businesses that are renting from landlords so I would like to endorse that landlords be sympathetic at this time."James, who revealed the hotel sector on the island is virtually dead, said he hopes a framework could be developed quickly for the re-opening of business after May 10."We will wait to see what May 10 brings, but we know tourism and hospitality is going to take a long time until we open fully."Once we get the green light, we are hoping we are hoping we can get our first batch of domestic tourism from Trinidad."