Mickey Mouse travel policies

THE EDITOR: Last year I sent seven e-mails (lack of response) to the Ministry of National Security for an exemption to leave Trinidad. Former minister Stuart Young had told the nation there was no need for an exemption to leave. Apparently they were still given out.

I know it was not me that Young was talking about when he mentioned that people were sending in multiple e-mails on the same day, “clogging up the system.” Don’t even know if his statement was true or just political speech, which is a snippet of truth with a long story made up.

I eventually left last October. In April, I applied for an exemption on the new website application to return to Trinidad. I got back an automated response with a file number and was told that I would be hearing from them shortly.

I do not know what their definition of shortly is, but a month later I had to have someone check with the ministry on my behalf. They could not find me by name in the system. Ah, such efficiency.

I then sent my file number and my friend was told to tell me to send them an e-mail with proof of what I left the country for. My friend was asked to do something the ministry was responsible for. So much for professionalism, proper customer service, competence, reliability, business acumen and sensibility, to name a few. Their actions showed a lack of everything mentioned and more. I wondered who exactly was running this Mickey Mouse club.

Almost three months later I got an e-mail saying my application was approved and I am listed on a repatriation flight. The flight got back to Trinidad two weeks before the “borders” (code name for airport, for the borders were never closed) were to officially open. Myself and others who had been fully vaccinated were never told about our quarantining status before we travelled, as we were supposed to. Who was to inform us? The Ministry of National Security?

When we landed at Piarco we were then given paperwork to fill and sign. This was when we knew that we were to spend a week in quarantine at a state facility, then a week at home. Here it is two weeks before the airports are opened and fully vaccinated people have to quarantine at a state facility. But in two weeks’ time fully vaccinated people would be allowed to go straight home to quarantine. So I ask, what is the difference? Yes, the answer is two weeks (laugh). I am sure that is the logic of the people running this Mickey Mouse show. This Mickey Mouse club seems to start from the top.

JOHN S GASKIN

via e-mail