Tobago hoteliers support mask-wearing legislation

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) vice-president Carol-Ann Birchwood James supports the legislation to make mask-wearing mandatory in public to prevent the spread of covid19.

The Public Health (Amendment) Bill was passed in the House of Representatives on Friday with amendments. It was debated and passed in the Senate on Saturday.

At a news conference on Saturday at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, the Prime Minister urged citizens to wear the masks as part of the Government’s fight against covid19.

He said people who do not comply would be penalised.

Birchwood-James said people who do not want to wear masks should simply stay off the streets.

“We just have to try our best with the masks and those who do not want to obey, let them stay off the streets. Stay inside,” she told Sunday Newsday.

“We have a law saying that is mandatory and there would be a fine. The law is important so wear the mask.”

Birchwood-James urged the Government to give out free masks.

“I am not seeing anybody giving out free masks. Every mask you get, you have to buy or make.

“So, they need to give out more masks for people. You cannot assume that people have any money to go out and buy any masks.

“Nobody has told me they got any free masks. So, we have to continue to give out those masks.”

Birchwood-James said the wearing of masks must work in tandem with other preventative measures such as physical distancing and the washing of hands.

“We want people to obey more than we want them to pay the fine because if a man cannot pay the fine what yuh want him to do, put him in the jail if they have covid.”

Regarding the impact of covid19 on tourism, Birchwood-James described the sector as being “locked down and bolted.”

She said she spoke to a hotel owner, last week, who reported that all of her workers have now received the $1,500 salary relief grant.

“But there are many workers who had applied for the grant are yet to receive it.

“People need it now more than ever because the owners don’t have the money to pay them any salary.

“Everybody is at home and, therefore, we don’t know how long this second wave (of the virus) is going to last.

So, we need the help for our workers.”

Birchwood-James said the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the borders remain closed to the international market and domestic travel on the sea and air bridge is restricted to essential movement.

“So, we have no guests and it is a very challenging situation for us. It is like that all over the world. There is nothing we can do about it but the workers need to get some kind of sustenance.”