Young: Talks to bring home UWI students

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young said he will be speaking with the principals of UWI's Mona and Cave Hill campuses in Jamaica and Barbados respectively, about allowing any of the estimated 200 TT students who are spread between both campuses to return home.

At Wednesday's virtual health news conference, Young said he would hold a Zoom meeting with the principals later in the day.

Reiterating that all TT nationals who want to return home will be allowed to do so, in a managed manner, Young stressed, "We don't want to overload our resources."

An estimated 360 TT nationals on a cruise ship want to return home, he said.

He explained all of these people cannot come home at the same time, because the public health system will be overloaded.

Some people allowed to disembark from cruise ships in St Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica have reportedly tested positive for covid19, Young said. Discussions are ongoing with Royal Caribbean to see if it is possible for TT nationals to quarantine on their ships before being allowed to disembark.

Young also said Government "does not get involved in the flight details" of TT nationals who want to come home. Explaining the process for granting exemptions to enter TT, Young said final approval is only given once the applicant is confirmed as a TT national and provides flight details.

Referring to the return of a person from Venezuela who is now in state quarantine, Young said that person's flight details did not involve the input of the Venezuelan government. He disclosed that a TT national on an island in the Pacific Ocean is among those who want to return home.

Being able to charter planes will not give people priority to enter TT, he said, and non-nationals wishing to enter TT will not be allowed to do so.