2021 News

St. Eustatius: New Policy In Place For The Hospitality Sector

Live music, bands and DJ’s will be made possible again. A new policy that was agreed upon with the hospitality sector, the police and other important key stakeholders stipulates the guidelines for music during events as of Friday, October 1^st, 2021. The new policy is based on 3 phases: green, yellow and red. Shifting from one phase to another depends on the number of active COVID cases on the island, and whether they are contained or not. The policy further takes into account enforcement with regards to noise disturbance.

Since the last COVID-19 outbreak on Statia, the Government adhered to a strict policy under which live music, DJ’s and Bands in bars, restaurants and at events were prohibited. During the previous months, in depth and constructive stakeholder consultations were held with the owners of bars, restaurants, events holders,  the police  and other civil servants to discuss adapted regulations and come to an agreement. This new policy will b assessed at the end of 2021.

Green

In phase green it is possible for restaurants, bars and event holders to play live music and to have bands and/or DJ’s in place. The green phase can only go into effect if Statia does not have any COVID-19 cases, or that the infected persons are in isolation. This is currently the case. Statia has 3 active cases that are in isolation. Bars, restaurants and event holders must have hand sanitizing stations available and open ventilation in place.

Yellow

During the yellow phase live music, bands and DJs are not allowed, and outdoor events can only permitted if maintaining social distance is possible. This phase will be in effect when there are active cases on the island and the containment of these cases is not guaranteed. This means  that the Public Health Department is not confident that the COVID situation on Statia is well under control based on their investigation. Yellow also stipulates that the staff members at restaurants and bars, who have contact with the clients must wear a mouth mask. Just as in phase Green, the bars and restaurants need to have hand sanitizing stations available and good ventilation in place. Hand sanitizing     must also be placed on tables, at the entry and in the restrooms.

Persons returning from travel and in the monitoring protocol are not allowed to visit events during phase yellow and cannot attend gatherings or meetings in enclosed areas.

Red

In case of an outbreak of COVID-19 on the island, events, live music, bands and DJ’s are not allowed. Restaurants can only open with strict limitations. Take away is possible.

Persons in the monitoring protocol are not allowed to visit events and cannot attend gatherings  or meetings in enclosed areas in any of these 3 phases.

Noise disturbance

The Task Force (Police, Cabinet, Public Health Department) and the Government Commissioners  recently held meetings with the stakeholders from the hospitality sector who agreed on limiting the volume of music played to avoid noise disturbance to the neighborhoods. To maintain public order and avoid noise disturbance, bars, restaurants, and events holders are required to strictly adhere to their license and to the event policy, including adherence to the opening and closing times. Noncompliance with the regulations will first lead to a warning by the Government Commissioner or Police. This will include instructions to comply with the license/permission. A decibel meter has been purchased, Bavpollers (local enforcement officers) and police officers will be trained in the use of this instrument to measure the sound level when loud music is played at the mentioned establishments. Enforcement has already started by way of the stakeholders consultations. These meetings will continue to help license holders better understand the content of licenses and also to create more awareness with regards to the General Local Ordinance (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening).

The Montserrat Premiere of Under the Volcano

Brades, Montserrat – The Montserrat Tourism Division is proud to announce the local premiere of Under The Volcano, which will be held at the Montserrat Cultural Centre from October 1 – 3, 2021.

“This is truly an exciting time for the destination and people of Montserrat,” noted Warren Solomon, Director of Tourism for the Montserrat Tourism Division. “Being able to showcase how a small island in the Caribbean, with a larger-than-life impact, influenced and shaped the music industry on a global scale, is a proud moment for us all and one we are happy to see brought back into focus after so many years.” The film is directed by Gracie Otto and produced by Cody Greenwood of Rush Films.

The official local premiere of the film will take place on Friday, 1 October 2021 at the Montserrat Cultural Centre, where specially invited guests (government officials, local participants in the film and the local media) will walk the red carpet and enjoy the pre-film entertainment, glitz and glamour. Guests at the premiere will also have the opportunity to attend a Q&A with the filmmakers after the screening, to learn how Rush Films was able to unearth the unique story of AIR Studios Montserrat and turn it into one of the best music documentaries of the decade. On the 2nd and 3rd of October school children and the locals will be given the opportunity to watch the film for free, by participating in a series of competitions on Montserrat’s only radio station – ZJB Radio (88.3 and 95.5FM).

Under the Volcano is a celebration of the creative process, and tells the story of the recording studio that was at the centre of the pop world in the 1980s. It all began in 1979 when the late Sir George Martin (often referred to as the fifth Beatle) built a musical outpost called AIR Studios (Associated Independent Recording Studios) Montserrat, where the who’s who of top musicians recorded hit albums throughout the decade.

“I fell in love with Montserrat and decided to build the ultimate get-away-from-it-all recording studio, which offered all of the technical facilities of its London predecessor, but with the advantages of an exotic location”, states the late Sir George Martin on the official AIR Studios website.

In the shadow of an active volcano, the studio not only attracted the biggest musical talent on the planet including: The Police, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Earth Wind and Fire and the Dire Straits, but it was also the birthplace of hits songs that defined the sound of the 80s. The film features interviews with the likes of Sting and Mark Knopfler, as well as personal archives from artists such as Sir Paul McCartney and Stewart Copeland.

For a decade, AIR Montserrat formed the backdrop to monumental events in music history including the break-up of The Police, the reunion of The Rolling Stones, and the reinvigoration of Paul McCartney after the tragic murder of John Lennon. After a decade of hits, and at the peak of its popularity, the studio was destroyed when Montserrat was hit by a series of devastating natural disasters.

Producer, Cody Greenwood noted, “Under the Volcano has been a personal journey for me. I have so many fond memories of visiting Montserrat as a child and I’m honoured that the people of Montserrat were open to sharing their story with us. We wish we could be on the island to view the documentary.”

While Director, Gracie Otto commented “We are thrilled to finally share Under the Volcano with audiences in Montserrat. The documentary is a celebration of the island and we hope the people of Montserrat love the film”.

Montserrat is set to re-open its borders to vaccinated travelers on October 1 and it is hoped that the international release of this film would generate renewed interest in visiting the island.

Jamaica’s Tourism Sector Is Driving Its Economic Recovery

KINGSTON, JAMAICA – In remarks made as part of Jamaica’s Tourism Awareness Week September 26 through October 2, Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett is urging all citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to save lives and continue driving the island’s economic recovery.

“While we celebrate Tourism Awareness Week under the theme ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth,’ let us include vaccination in the mix because that’s what is going to make our recovery more complete but more importantly save lives,” said Minister Bartlett. “As we look at how we have recovered overall, the presence of tourism as the driver of that recovery has been so evident. We have generated for the year so far US$1.2 billion into the economy and we have brought over a million visitors into the country.”

Minister Bartlett continued, “We have dealt with the pandemic in a very exemplary way and the world has taken note of the way in which Jamaica’s protocols have been carried through effectively and well by the players in the industry and the nation as a whole. We must manage our stewardship so that we leave no one behind.”

The health and safety of all visitors and locals continues to be Jamaica’s top priority. Earlier this month, the island launched a vaccination drive to facilitate administration of the vaccines island-wide with a series of voluntary vaccination blitzes at strategic sites across the country. This drive is an extension of the groundbreaking JAMAICA CARES program, a nationwide response to COVID-19 that includes the island’s Resilient Corridors and comprehensive health and safety protocols.

Jamaica’s Resilient Corridors, which cover more than 85 percent of the island’s tourism product and include less than one percent of the population, have recorded an infection rate of less than one percent over the past year. This clearly demonstrates the success of the program, which is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean. It provides a secure environment for visitors to enjoy the tourism product while eliminating direct contact with the majority of the local population.

Jamaica remains open for travel and continues to welcome visitors safely. It’s health and safety protocols were among the first to receive the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels recognition that allowed the destination to safely reopen to travel in June 2020. The island has also recently announced additional airlift from key source markets and ninety percent of planned tourist investments remaining on track.

For more information on Jamaica, please go to www.visitjamaica.com.

Air Canada Returns To Antigua And Barbuda From Oct. 3

JOHN’S, ANTIGUA –Antigua and Barbuda will see a boost in airlift for the winter season, as demand for the destination increases amongst travellers seeking to escape the cold weather.  Air Canada announced the resumption of its flights on Sunday, October 3, to and from Toronto to St. John’s, Antigua & Barbuda.

Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Charles Fernandez said: “We welcome Canadians back to our shores and are very pleased that Air Canada has decided to resume services from Toronto to St. John’s, Antigua.  This upcoming winter season, visitors will continue to safely enjoy Antigua and Barbuda.”

Nino Montagnese, Vice President, Air Canada Vacations further added, “Canadians are anxious to travel to the beautiful locations they’ve been dreaming of, and we’re ready to respond to their needs. Our packaged holidays from Toronto to Antigua, available as of October 3^rd, give them the opportunity to experience a stunning corner of the Caribbean and create new memories under the sun.”

The destination has put forward a number of COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of its residents, airline essential workers and visitors. As of October 1^st, 2021, the following protocols will be in effect to protect their health and safety:

• All arriving passengers will require a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) test for SARS-CoV-2 using a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab taken within four days of their flight or fewer.
• Children below the age of 5 years, entering Antigua, DO NOT REQUIRE a COVID -19 RT-PCR test.
• As of October 1, 2021, all arriving passengers including returning nationals and residents (excluding children 18 years and younger) are required to have received at least one dose of a World Health Organization (WHO) or Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE) approved 2-dose COVID 19 vaccine.
• The wearing of face mask in public spaces is mandatory throughout Antigua and Barbuda and social/physical distancing protocols must be adhered to.

To know more about the protocols in detail you can click here.

Tradewind Aviation Announces Winter Service To Anguilla From San Juan

The Valley, Anguilla –  The Anguilla Tourist Board is pleased to announce that Tradewind Aviation will resume its winter service from the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico to the Clayton J Lloyd International Airport (AXA) in Anguilla on December 17, 2021.  The scheduled service will operate three days a week through April 18, 2022.

“We are delighted that Tradewind Aviation is resuming its traditional winter service to Anguilla, which is yet another indication of the strong consumer demand for our island,” said Stacey Liburd, Anguilla’s Director of Tourism. “Tradewind has developed partnerships with a number of our resorts on island, and the airline has proven to be an invaluable collaborator over many years in expanding access to Anguilla. Tradewind offers exceptional service and a premium travel experience; it is an excellent option for traveling to Anguilla.”

The scheduled flights will operate as follows:

San Juan (SJU) to Anguilla (AXA)

• Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays departing at 4:00pm
• Starting January 6th, departing at 3:25pm
• Starting January 24th, departing at 3:30pm
• Starting February 1st, departing at 3:35pm
• Starting February 8th, departing at 3:40pm

Anguilla (AXA) to San Juan (SJU)

• Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays departing at 8:20am
• Starting January 6th, departing at 9:25am
• Starting January 11th, departing at 9:40am

Airfares from Anguilla to San Juan start from $195, including taxes and fees.

Private charter flights to Anguilla are also available at any time from Puerto Rico, Antigua, the USVI and from the mainland United States, on Tradewind’s world class fleet of Pilatus PC-12 and Citation CJ3 light jets.

Safety is the number one priority for the airline, and Tradewind Aviation has implemented a comprehensive plan to ensure passenger safety while maintaining a seamless travel experience.  Understanding today’s consumers’ need for flexibility in travel, Tradewind continues to offer no-fee itinerary changes and full credit on account for scheduled service cancellations made up to 24 hours prior to departure.

For reservations visit www.flytradewind.com and book directly with the Tradewind reservations team, in all major GDS systems and with their interline partners, or through your preferred Travel Agent.

For information on Anguilla please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.