DPM says airlines will verify required COVID test results
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government expects a seamless transition as it removes the requirement for travel health visas for Bahamians and residents returning to the country.
The new initiative, which was a major campaign promise of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), goes into effect today.
The visa, however, will remain in place for visitors “for the foreseeable future” and testing requirements must be adhered to before entering the country.
We are delighted we have been able to deliver on our promise to the Bahamian people whilst keeping balanced entry requirements.
– Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper told Eyewitness News yesterday: “We are eliminating the health visa but the testing requirement will continue.
“The airlines will check the tests as is now done for Family Island travel.
“We are delighted we have been able to deliver on our promise to the Bahamian people whilst keeping balanced entry requirements.”
The PLP opposition had repeatedly asserted that the travel visa was an unnecessary tax imposed by the Free National Movement (FNM) government.
Upon coming to office, the Davis administration removed the travel health visa requirement for domestic travel in The Bahamas, and as of October 1, Bahamians and residents of The Bahamas, whether vaccinated against COVID-19 or not, no longer had to pay travel health visa fees to travel internationally.
The fees were left in place for visitors.
The visa has been adjusted several times since its rollout, based on local and global changes with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest change comes as health experts around the world closely monitor the COVID-19 omicron variant, which was only recently discovered.
While omicron was initially identified in South Africa, the variant has now been reported in 57 nations, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), though it is still “too early” to draw any conclusions about its global impact.
Meanwhile, in The Bahamas, health officials confirmed 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 22,907, with 357 active.
The number of COVID-related deaths now stands at 708, with another 36 under investigation.
