CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Federal Aviation Administration did a deep cleaning at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas which lead to a flight cancellation this afternoon. The FAA said a staffing shortage related to multiple health and safety factors, including COVID-19, resulted in the temporary closure of the air traffic control tower at […]
Category: Health News
Caribbean Tourism Industry Remains Hopeful Despite Onset Of Omicron Variant
BRIDGETOWN — The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) remains positive about the continued rebound of the tourism industry even in the face of the uncertainty caused by the ongoing pandemic. Over the past eighteen months, Caribbean destinations, without exception, have shown their resilience in creating strategies for recovery. By incorporating frequently updated travel protocols, and collaborations with […]
Bryan Clarifies Territory’s COVID-19 Cruise Protocols In Light Of New CDC Guidance
CHRISTIANSTED — Governor Albert Bryan clarified the territory’s COVID-19 requirements for cruise lines in light of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxing its sailing guidelines. “In many ways, our protocols and guidelines are even more stringent than some of the CDC’s guidelines. While we don’t want to turn away any of our cruise partners, […]
Jamaican Hotels Holding American Tourists Hostage Over Fake COVID-19 Tests
KINGSTON — Jamaica is holding American tourists hostage in high-priced hotels in order to drive up their hospitality bill and increase tourism numbers. United States tourists are complaining that the Jamaican hotels are false claiming that they have COVID-19 — when they don’t — in order to keep them their against their will. Meanwhile, the U.S. […]
Governor Bryan Says Bars And Restaurants Must Close One Hour Earlier Now
CHRISTIANSTED — Governor Albert Bryan. plans to deliver the 2022 State of the territory address at 7 p.m. January 24 from the Earl B. Ottley Legislative Chambers in St. Thomas. Speaking at Monday’s press conference at Government House, Bryan said he will update the Legislature and the people of the Virgin Islands on the ongoing […]
Gittens Riled At 911 Operators ‘From Outside’ Doing A Better Job Here Temporarily
KINGSHILL — A St. Croix senator says he has “concerns” now that 911 operators from Ohio have been brought in to help temporarily due to worker shortages locally. “Last week I communicated with the governor’s office about reports of improper disciplinary actions within VITEMA and 911 dispatch in particular,” Senator Kenneth Gittens said. “Just a […]
World Tops 2 Million New Daily COVID-19 Cases, But Deaths Are Down
PARIS: The world recorded more than two million daily coronavirus cases on average between January 1 and 7 with figures doubling in 10 days, an Agence France-Presse tally showed on Saturday. An average of 2,106,118 new daily infections were reported over the seven-day period, shortly after the one million case threshold was passed in the week of December […]
Cuba Tightens Border Controls As Coronavirus Infections Rebound
HAVANA — Cuba tightened border controls on Wednesday as the Caribbean island nation moved to tamp down a growing wave of coronavirus infections while keeping doors open for its economically vital tourism industry. The country will now require both a negative PCR within 72 hours and proof of vaccination of all visitors, though authorities have said they […]
Robots Filling In Staffing Shortages At Some Cali Hotels With No Tips Expected
SILICON VALLEY, California — Hotels, like restaurants, have been hard pressed to provide attentive service due to staffing shortages during the pandemic. In Silicon Valley, robots are filling the gap to the surprise and delight of guests. This is how the Radisson Sunnyvale is dealing with staffing shortages – A guest would like a soft […]
Royal Caribbean Cancels Voyages On 4 Ships Due To COVID-19
MIAMI — Royal Caribbean International announced on Friday it has canceled voyages on four ships because of “ongoing COVID-related circumstances around the world.” “In abundance of caution, Royal Caribbean International is pausing operations” on some ships, the company said in a statement. The cruise line said it moved forward with the cancellations despite its health and […]