Dunkley: TA “Is A Hindrance To Locals & Visitors’
Noting that “the Bahamian government announced that it will drop its travel visa requirement,” Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley said Bermuda’s travel authorization process is “a hindrance to locals and visitors to the island alike” and reiterated his call for the Government to “end the TA as soon as possible.”
Mr. Dunkley said, “Yesterday, the Bahamian government announced that it will drop its travel visa requirement as of Sunday. Yet Premier David Burt and the Progressive Labour Party government are steadfast in wanting this prohibitive process to continue. It is a hindrance—to locals and visitors to the island alike.
“It shows once again that the PLP Government is more interested in the $40 fee than the interests of the island. It should be noted that the Bahamas government dropped its $40 fee for Bahamians and residents back in December.
“There is no justification that Premier Burt and his colleagues can offer in keeping the Travel Authorisation as the world turns away from closed borders with restrictive and bureaucratic submissions. It has now become an embarrassment that the government continues to support it.
“Bermuda has been hit hard by Covid and now is also feeling the impacts of the war in Ukraine, compounded with the alarming rise in the cost of living under the PLP.
“As we endeavour to tackle the challenges we face as a country, how can Bermudians have hope for better days ahead when the PLP government is unable to make the right decision and remove the TA and free up Bermuda?
“Once again the OBA calls on the Government to hear the cry of the people and end the TA as soon as possible.”
You can find more information on the links below from our dedicated website BermudaCovid.com, which is the most comprehensive resource and historic record available of Bermuda’s handling of the pandemic.
- All Charts: Vaccine, testing & more here
- Timelines: Dates of major developments here
- Test results: Chart of testing stats here
- Vaccine: Data covering vaccinations here
- Dedicated website: BermudaCovid.com
I am quite sure that the alarming increase in the cost of living would have happened no matter which party is in Government. These increases are seen world wide.Especially in the so called’ mother country’. 40 dollars for administration to make sure we are catching the big C at the border is a small price to pay in comparison to having an outbreak and an uptick in the loss of life. That being said, protect thyselves over this weekend and holiday! I see a transmission bomb about to go off!!
I think the point being made is that our economy was already in ICU before COVID and the Ukrainian War after almost a quarter of a century of failed PLP ideology.
If Bermudians had voted based on competence rather than being hoodwinked by incompetent snake oil salesmen, we might have been better placed to weather the storm.
But they didnt and we f*&^ed.
Dunkley shouldn’t you be busy right now trying to recruit more blk voters to help you win the next election. Right now the PLP have their pants down with the mistakes they have made with the the TA and the only creatures supporting obaUBP are these trolls above.
Trolling? Telling the truth is trolling now.
I’m not sure anyone wants to pick up this sh*t show. Why would you – exit planning is more practical at this point.
This blogger/sand is pass being a troll.
It’s cute when you reveal your level of education…it confirms a theory.
Lol, I’m a troll, and a racist…like the rest of my people.
Folks like you in the OBA are the very reason why they only have 6 seats. This negative talk constantly destroys Mr Dunkley’s hard work and he’s trying .
Give me a break. The OBA won’t win again because Bermudians would rather vote for failure.
Facts!
The TA form is USELESS. It is not preventing ANYTHING.
The TA is no longer effective and serves no purpose except to keep people employed. We may be paying $40 but if you think that is all it is costing us, or that we are making money I got a bridge to sell you. Take a look at how many ataff are at the airport alone, not to mention the call centre, IT , ipads, computer hardware, antigen tests and so on. Most people can take tests a few days in advance and send them in which is useless. A much simpler faster and effective way would just to have every person tested and they leave the airport…. It would cost far less it would mean every single person is tested at the time of arrival. Wanted to do that for half the price. GTA system needs to be scrapped. It’s not making us safe, It’s not making the government money but I’m pretty sure it’s making someone money. Wink wink
I should never have to pay a fee or be pre authorized to travel back to my own country!! This is gone way pass ridiculous! But what else can we expect when a bunch of arrogant Muppets are running the country….SMFH
Thank you Mr. Dunkley. This is absolutely ridiculous.
So we can have 6 days of partying with no restrictions, we can travel all over the world, didn’t I just read the good Premier is in London with AIBR, but we can’t fly back home without paying 40 dollars and getting tested!
Something stinks about this TA.
where’s the hypocritical mps staying shut just for a paycheck, or the supporters and fof..cause i know they all travelling
The PLP will follow true to style and be the last place to lift Covid restrictions. Then they will then wonder why future tourism has crashed. No wonder there is no obvious signs of the SP refurbishment.
The TAF has no health reason to remain as clearly stated by the Junior Finance Minister, it is merely a revenue stream (but for who?).
Its a revenue stream for the government to repay the coffers for the millions that were spent on COVID protection measures plus financial aid for the many that lost wages due to lockdown and quarantine etc. The government came ensured there was as much continuity as possible in people’s incomes during this critical period. So while the TA may be inconvenient for some, it really isn’t the end of the world and the $40 is really not that much money. The coffers need to be replenished in some way. You can’t expect government to provide every and any service to people without finding some way to increase revenues.
Michael Dunkley knows all of this. He is trying to make the TA his mission and it won’t work. No one is really listening to him.
First of all, it is not an effective revenue stream. It involves paying at least two dozen people to administer it, and to direct people and test them at the airport. All of them unnecessary. The usual high-cost Government way of doing everything.
If it’s just a way of collecting $40 from every traveller, Burt should be honest about it and not try to hide behind some cooked-up silly health excuse. It makes him look like a liar, and makes Bermuda look like a third world tin-pot dictatorship.
“t makes him look like a liar, and makes Bermuda look like a third world tin-pot dictatorship.”
Breaking News: He is, and it soon will be.
Who are you to say it is a revenue stream? A civil servant in the Ministry of Finance? The Minister of Health says it is an essential tool to control Covid. If it is merely a revenue stream, why is the form needed and the tests and vaccination certificates, and why does Immigration and HM Customs use the form? Try again.
LOL@Ringmaster you must have a green Koolaid IV drip. You’ve succumbed to your governments BS. LOL
whooosh ! !
You’re right . The only people listening to him are the many thousands who are demanding that the TAF and the $40 thing go the way of the dinosaur , like yesterday soon !
It is costing the economy money now and putting off travelers stories of a wonderful vacation in Bermuda that they share with friends upon return. That is the best form of advertising. Word of mouth, social media. The PLP don’t understand the herd mentality benefits of this. A few million weeks out of travelers will cost many multiples of that over time. PLP are short term tunnel visioned thinkers is what you are portraying. Sounds about right to me. The TAF needs to be dropped immediately and this communicated to the world immediately.