Trinidad and Tobago taken off UK's covid19 travel red list

DR AMERY BROWNE, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, on Thursday welcomed the removal of Trinidad and Tobago from the UK's red list.

This is a list of countries from which foreign travellers were not allowed to enter the UK owing to covid19 concerns. UK nationals returning from these countries would then have to quarantine in the UK.

The good news came in a tweet by UK high commissioner to TT Harriet Cross, saying, "TT is off the red list as of 11 October. Great news for all our tourists, families, students and both our economies!"

Her tweet included a post from UK Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps saying, "I’ll be cutting 47 destinations from our red list, including South Africa, with just seven countries and territories remaining."

The website www.gov.uk said, "From 4 am on Monday 11 October, TT will no longer be on the red list for entering England."

A UK High Commission Facebook post said, "This means no more managed hotel quarantine and travellers who must quarantine at home or in the place they are staying can opt to end quarantine early through the Test to Release Scheme."

Some 47 countries were removed from the red list. Those remaining were Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Browne told Newsday, "The Government of TT is pleased that the UK authorities have adjusted their covid-related travel provisions, with the removal of TT and several other nations from their 'red list.'"

He said this decision will benefit TT and other countries preparing for participation at the COP26 Leaders' Summit in November.

"We have been consistently advocating for this, led by the Prime Minister, and the issue has been the subject of multiple meetings between our respective governments, including meetings I have convened with High Commissioner Cross."

He promised more collaborations and diplomatic efforts with UK counterparts on residual covid-related issues.