Transport minister cautions as borders reopen: 'Don't fly for leisure...just yet'

THE COUNTRY'S borders were reopened on Saturday, but Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan is not yet keen to encourage air travel for leisure or non-essential purposes.

Sinanan was present on Saturday to welcome the first flight arriving at Piarco after the air travel ban was lifted.

About 18 passengers trickled through the terminal.

On Saturday, the prime minister, during a media conference, described the border opening as a "huge step" towards recovery.

At Piarco, Sinanan also said he appreciated the positive development. But when asked his thoughts about the leisure side of travel, he reluctantly sided with caution, saying there are avoidable risks, suggesting the public is expected to use its discretion.

"It's not what I think," Sinanan said. "I wouldn't want to give you my personal opinion."

"What I can tell you is that travelling at this time is their (the public's) choice, but like everything else, there is risk (involved) so as an individual, you have to assess your risk and you have to take that decision.

"There is something called personal responsibility that we all have and once you analyse your situation, you have to make that choice.

"We do have protocols in place.

"Obviously with the open borders, you'll see a lot more residents coming home. You did see a lot of people come home from the oil and gas sector, and that continues."

Sinanan, however, endorsed the use of vaccines to further open up the travel industry, saying, "We are hoping we can weather this storm with the vaccination programme.

"We are happy to be at a point where fully vaccinated citizens and visitors no longer have to stay in quarantine.

"That is a big step going forward."

The first plane to land in Piarco after the borders reopened on Saturday arrived from Guyana.

Some may have anticipated a packed airport in light of citizens' prolonged inability to return to the country without an exemption granted by the Ministry of National Security, a controversial process which started when the borders were closed almost 16 months ago.

Only three flights were scheduled on Saturday. Seven more will arrive and/or depart on Sunday.

Sinanan said a slow start was expected.

"Over time, you will actually get back to that semblance of normalcy," he said.

Sinanan praised the covid19 testing station installed at the airport. Travellers can take a PCR covid19 test at the airport at a cost of $800. The results are returned in about 80 minutes. Passengers leaving for certain countries can take the required RT (reverse transcription) PCR test at a cost of $1,100.

"When you consider the lab upstairs, this is the first airport in the Caribbean to have an in-house lab," Sinanan said.

"This means the Airports Authority would have done a lot of work, planning for the reopening.

"I'm happy that we have this period where we have (few flights) today to test the system.

"And we must remember, the airport (has been) working for the last year under (a) controlled situation and has used the opportunity to ensure that everything in the airport continues to function. So I really don't see any challenges going forward."

Sinanan said people without vaccines are "quarantined from the time they land," and there were protocols to prevent them going into the duty-free shops.

"They will have to be channelled straight into transportation to whichever hotel they would have chosen."

There are still stringent measures for citizens and permanent residents to comply with in order to return home.

A travel pass or TTravel Pass must be completed online at ttravelpass.gov.tt within 72 hours of travel.

Fully vaccinated nationals must upload their vaccination card as proof that they are fully vaccinated.

Fully vaccinated arrivals with no symptoms will not be required to enter quarantine nor be re-tested.

Arriving passengers must submit a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival in TT.