‘You are contributing to the stigma’

ANOTHER TT citizen stranded on a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel says her family is eagerly waiting for her back home, but is worried that recent comments made by National Security Minister Stuart Young will contribute to the stigma already attached to people like her.

“I understand that we cannot open the borders,” said Jenna Jobity, a restaurant manager and one of three TT citizens on board the vessel Getaway.

Newsday has published the story of a woman, Latoya Valere-Ali, whose contract as a casino worker has ended and who is anxious to return home to her children. Valere-Ali is on the vessel Norwegian Sun, having been transferred from Norwegian Epic recently. Newsday also reported recently on nationals working for Royal Caribbean Cruises and other cruise companies anxious to return.

Young said at the daily covid19 media briefing last Wednesday: “Airlines and cruise ships are nests for re-importation of the virus.”

Jobity responded that regardless of the government’s stance, the message it sends matters.

“It was not fair placing us in such a category.

“We are already fighting a stigma, and his comment just went on to make it worse.”

Jobity said she was “totally alarmed” by the comments, because in her cases and many other cases, the stranded crew would have had little choice but to endure more than the benchmark two-week isolation period on their vessels.

While crew would have previously shared quarters, most now have a cabin to themselves and interact very little with each other. Given her position, Jobity was already entitled to a cabin for herself.

Jobity added, “I would like him (Young) to understand that we are someone’s child, someone’s mother, someone’s sister, someone’s aunty, and we have a family who is patiently waiting on our arrival.

“I also want him to understand that it is not our intention to get any one of our family members sick, or anyone else in society. He must understand that his words have a major impact on how we are accepted when we return amongst the population.

The vessel stopped carrying passengers on March 15 and is docked in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The cruise began with a crew of 765 people. The staff in Jobity’s department alone originally numbered 384, but has dwindled to 120.

“St Vincent will repatriate theirs on the 30th (of April) and Jamaica at the end of next month. Fortunately we did not have any cases of the virus onboard our ship, and the company is taking stringent measures to ensure that we remain safe and healthy.”

Jobity is the sister of Darryl Rajpaul, former councillor for Belmost East, who died while playing football in Belmont in 2017. She is from Diego Martin, lives with her parents and brother and does not have any children.

“I am not sure if the company has reached out to the country,” she said. “Neither am I sure if our country has reached out to the company.

“However, I am very sure that if anyone of the nationals (onboard) are infected, the government will be fully aware.

“I can understand that their hands are tied in certain situations but Minister Young should not falsely lead the public into thinking that if the crew members arrive home, they will be a threat to society.

“He should make the public know that he is well aware that they are safe and healthy at this time and he will work on bringing them home as soon as he can.

“We are in a very safe zone at the moment, no crew members are allowed to leave and absolutely no one is allowed to come on board. Our ship has been virus-free from the start of the pandemic to date, and I don’t think we are the ones he should be worried about spreading the virus.”