Cuba to repatriate citizens from Guyana and T&T

Chairman of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) Lieutenant Colonel (rt’d) Larry London said the Cuban Government will be using Caribbean Airlines to conduct a Cuban repatriation flight from Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana to Cuba.

“As an approved operator, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has no objection to Caribbean Airlines doing this flight. We are exploring the possibility of Caribbean Airlines transporting the stranded Guyanese in Trinidad who are in possession of a valid PCR test and approved by the Ministry of Public Health,” London told a virtual press conference Saturday.

The Chairman did state when they will facilitate this flight.

The National Covid-19 Task Force (NCTF) said it continues to receive a number of requests for flights, primarily for the repatriation of Guyanese from North America and the Caribbean.

As such, approval has been granted for two flights to repatriate Guyanese in the United States.

“We have also granted approval for Eastern Airlines to operate two repatriation flights on July 14 and 15 to Guyana from Miami and New York,” Colonel London added.

London said the Government of Guyana has already repatriated some 1,300 Guyanese from North America and the Caribbean.

He said that the airports in Guyana will remain closed until the end of July when a reassessment of the situation will be done.

Meanwhile, the Government has also been involved in offering relief efforts to Guyanese at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 26, 1,750 Pandemic Assistance vouchers were delivered by the Ministry of Social Protection to Post Offices in regions # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.

Pandemic Assistance vouchers for regions # 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 were delivered to the Guyana Post Office Corporation Head Office for distribution Monday 29 June.

“We are in receipt of reports that vouchers have been received and are being redeemed for groceries/ foodstuff. The recipients are redeeming these vouchers for $25-$32,000 worth of foodstuff and cleaning supplies,” Director of Operations of the COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat, Mark Archer said.

The vouchers were sent via Registered Mail.

“Persons continue to apply for Pandemic Public Assistance, and at the moment we have over 12,000 applications that are being electronically captured and analysed,” he added.

The CDC is currently preparing to package 5,101 hampers for delivery to hinterland households.

The delivery will be done by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs.