Dunkley: “It’s Time For The TA To Be Eliminated”
“It’s time for the Travel Authorization Form [TA] to be eliminated,” OBA MP Michael Dunkley said, asking “how can the Government not see that this form is now outdated and unnecessary?”
Mr. Dunkley — who is the Shadow Health Minister — said, “When will the TA be eliminated? It’s time! The One Bermuda Alliance supports the easing of Covid-19 travel rules that will come into effect next Monday. However, as we have highlighted previously, other jurisdictions have taken action to open up and reduce restrictions prior to Bermuda making the decision to do so.
“Tourism is booming in many of the Caribbean islands. As Bermudians learn of the news, many are saying it is about time and more should be done.
“The Government has been very cautious through Covid and when they finally had the courage to say we must learn to live with Covid, sadly, its actions have not measured up to its words.
“Travel to the island has been hindered by the restrictions and the Travel Authorization Form. The TA is a deterrent for many traveling to the island.
“The Government needs to admit that fact and listen to the people who wish the form to end—as soon as possible!
“The Government has previously stated that it is all about the money but perhaps they should consider the revenue being chased away from the island due to the TA.
“With the TA, only the Government and those being paid fees earn money.
“It’s time for the TA to be eliminated. Allow money to flow widely throughout the community into the hospitality industry, transportation providers and to struggling Bermudians. How can the Government not see that this form is now outdated and unnecessary?”
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
Egomeir is finishing off his master’s plan, bringing Bermuda to its knees.
Worst premier ever. Bermuda is a mess, roads debt and egomeir still reaping rewards.
Well his kids kids kids will be paying his debt too, but don’t seem like that bothers him either.
What is the motivation for continuing with this TA form? I don’t see there being any REAL monetary benefit to this. I know they say we are collecting millions but lets look at the big picture. Each $40 paid to government has to support a large group of support staff. There are software programmers / developers, IT staff, servers (or cloud support fees) that are required. While we may not see them, they are necessary and getting paid. Then there are staff approving the TA forms in the offices and the dozens of people at the LFWI Airport, cruise terminals and private jet terminal. We must deduct the expenses for each person wage, health insurance, pension, SI, transportation and so on They all have iPads, office supplies, and PPE gear that is used once. On top of that must have an office which means rent, electricity, telecom and so on. How much meat is left on the bone? How much are we (the country) really making? Or is there more to this story? This just does not make sense to anyone I have spoken too. I’ve asked the opinion of healthcare works, airport staff, tourists, residents, and supports of both parties, I get the same answer – there is no real need for it at this time and it has gone from being a help to a hinderance.
I agree. It’s time Premier Burt! Please, just end it.
This island is loaded with visiters! You in the AC Dunkley?
“This island is loaded with visiters!”
And that is why Elbow Beach Hotel is closed, Southampton Princess Hotel is closed, Sonesta Beach Hotel has not been rebuilt …
What do any of these closures have to do with the TA though? For the capacity that Bermuda currently has, we are doing quite well. Unfortunately, a hotel cannot just pop up out of the ground. If we would all get on the side of Bermuda then perhaps the Fairmont project would get going. But the OBA and the anti-Burt factions of the PLP want the project to fail as they feel it will give them political leverage. Personally I want a leader who wants to bring jobs to Bermudians and who wants to ensure as many people are working as possible.
Nothing to do with the TA, everything to do with your racist, homophobic and xenophobic government.
Not one hotel announced the start of any new construction or any major refurbishments to a single major property in all the years that the PLP was in power. Many closed down including Elbow, Ariel Sands, Harmony Club, Fairmont Southampton, Pink Beach to mention a few. There were many promises but no action. In the few years that the OBA took over and with the announcement of AC, Fairmont Hamilton did a complete refurbishment that had the Today Show broadcasting from their property for the week of AC. The Loren announced plans and began construction. St. Regis was built and the open the Golf Course that the PLP government closed. Since the PLP has taken over what has happened. There was the Grand Atlantic disaster that was supposed to be a Hilton Property and was due to open awhile ago. I see nothing to indicate that this will happen anytime soon. Since the Fairmont SHP closed too. Where are the Peoples Campaign and the marchers now?
LOL, no it’s not. You count like the plp. LOL
Dunkley is the worst Premier this island has ever seen. With a record of losing 30 to 6, it’s know wonder the cows ran away the other day.
And yet, that four plus years of OBA government was a ray of sunshine in the misery of 20+ years of PLP failure, incompetence, bigotry, homophobia and greed.
Third world.
And yet 2016 and 2017 had tourism and economic figures that will never again be repeated, as long as Burt is in charge.
OPP, so using your logic that would mean that since Burt won 30-6 that would mean he is the best Premeire ever!. If that is the truth, oh boy that means this is the best we could ever hope for. Why are so many Bermudians leaving BDA for the UK and other countries?
The OBA is finding it hard to recruit people because everyone knows the party is a waste of time. Someone needs to create a third party separate from plp and OBA. It’s the only thing that will bring balance. The plp is seen as a black party and the OBA is seen as a white party. That will always remain unfortunately.
“The plp is seen as a black party and the OBA is seen as a white party.”
The PLP doesn’t contain any white members….whilst, the majority of the OBA are black.
The fact that this is completely ignored by Bermuda, but is blatantly obvious to anyone on the outside…..is hilarious!
It doesn’t make Bermudians look very good, or intelligent.
That’s because a big percentage of Bermudians are like a school of fry or anchovies …. when one moves they all move … don’t have a clue why but just follow the leader . If they had the brains or simply took the time to figure it out for themselves maybe things would be different .
“The majority in the ObaUBP are black”. Lololol OMG don’t make me laugh. You’re so desperate for votes that you constantly lie and front puppets. You changed your name from a party that used to win votes to a pathetic party that can’t even remain relevant. The next election you will read the same speech. “ we didn’t do any homework to connect with the voters “
OMG…you ‘re so blinded by your racism and hatred…when the truth hits you over your head you get angry. LMFAO.
Open your eyes, you racist fool.
All facts but the OBA never listens. They continue playing the same racist game by placing a black man as leader of a white party in hopes of swinging more black voters their way. Jarion start your own third party with white and black Bermudians working together. I voted for the OBA the first and only time they won. Later they changed right back into UBP.
Please show me how the majority in the oba are black?
Please show me a white PLP member. LOL
The majority of the population is of colour.
Can you extrapolate the rest yourself?
They can’t because the oba aka UBP is racist, homophobic and xenophobic. If this wasn’t true they wouldn’t have changed the UBP name. Why did they change the name if this wasn’t true!
Keep the lie alive, it’s all you have left.
It was the OBA that went begging to the privy council to allow Bermuda to discriminate against a small subsection of society!
.and discriminate against the LGBT community.
Oh wait….
LMFAO @ the plp
Please show me how the racial makeup of the PLP government reflects the community it is supposed to serve.
It’s not news flash that whites support the oba and blacks support the plp. The question is why continue to lie about it when everyone including you knows the truth? Both parties are race driven.
No one lies as much as the PLP.
It’s time for the TA to be eliminated like the OBA.UBP.
Keep up the big lie. Never give up on the big lie!
It’s time for burt to step down. He’s incompetent….like dreb.
sounds about right !
The TA is hurting tourism. The island full of tourists? How is that possible when the majority of flights are coming in less than full? When you include the cost of required pre-testing ($150 or more in many of our target markets) together with the $40 and hassle factor of filling out a stupid form, it’s obvious that it is an impediment to attracting more visitors. Without more visitors Bermuda doesn’t justify more hotel bed nights or airlift which then means tourism could go into a death spiral.
The TA is a minor inconvenience but it is not the end of the world.
It is not preventing people from coming.
If anything the closure of the FSP is the more impeding factor as the island doesn’t have the capacity or hotel beds.
Hence we should be encouraging this redevelopment rather than complaining about an Electronic form.
The silence from the SHP renovations are most likely being caused by Burt telling Gencom he can’t agree to their new demands before he gets through the October delegates conference. If he survives, most likely, what was previously agreed will look like petty cash.
It is not a ‘minor inconvenience’. It is a major impediment to visitors wanting to come here. At the moment, they arrive with the risk that someone near them on the plane tested positive, so the government calls them up and instructs them not to leave their hotel room for seven days. That’s just bollocks. It is stopping tourism and IB visitors.
There is no health reason for the TA. It is only there for one reason, and it’s nothing to do with public health.
Who’s pockets are being lined, Mr Burt? Got any ideas?
American has announced the end of the Miami flight as of Sept 5th I believe. No new flights announced. If that flight was consistently full or close to it, you think they would be cancelling that flight? Still think the TA has no impact. If each flight has 10 less people on it because they did not get their TA in time, or couldn’t be bothered to go thru the process, or refuse to all the government to take advantage of them for another $40 per family member, that has a huge impact. It can make the difference between an airline adding an extra flight each week, or cancelling one.
That’s some weapons grade stupid right there.
No , you’re wrong. 30 – 6. No SSM…$4B in debt…we won!
I realize that our government want to re-coop their losses due to covid testing etc. but enough is enough it’s been two years now and it’s time to relax. Let the people start living again. I personally am a senior with health issues so I prefer to wear a mask when out and about but that is my choice. I still keep a low profile but if I was to travel soon then why all the paperwork? It is also preventing people coming to Bermuda. Now its time to Omit the TA and fee.
“It is not preventing people from coming.”
Yes it is.
Bermuda, and your government, are a joke…a racist, homophobic, xenophobic joke.
why did the Cunard Queen Elizabeth by pass bermuda port of call last week. It was scheduled,
Agree GET RID OF IT and at same time clean house pop you got lots of deadwood backward looking arrogant members in the house
its time for you to stop being so political and discuss something more important than the TA which is currently helping to keep our COVID numbers LOW. I take pride in this government not giving into just ensuring the economy is flourishing but also that the people of this country are as safe as they can be. Mr. Dunkley talk about another REAL issue that matters to Bermudians. What would you do to tackle some of those issues …… Violence, Road Safety, Cost of Living you names it !
Yes ! Lets talk about our near 4bn debt and the plan to grow our economy (something that the PLP is clearly unable to do) to pay it off and stimulate jobs in the process .
And if you think our covid numbers are low then you’re falling for the trick that the ‘known’ published numbers are all there is .
IF you think the TA is helping to keep our COVID numbers low, then I have a bridge to sell you.
What misguided pride you have.
The TA adds to inflation, costs us tourists and IB visitors and therefore jobs, and gives no medical or health benefit whatsoever.
There is only one reason for it.
Why don’t you ask for a list of all the people benefitting financially out of it, including the owners of the TA software company? That might open your eyes a bit.
And yet, at 3.7% our rate of inflation is less than 1/2 that of our major trading partners, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
An irrelevant point, even you are insanely gullible enough to actually believe what the Bermuda government tells you about our inflation rate.
Why do you think the TA form still exists?
How much were you paid to say that?
Your covid numbers, per capita, are some of the highest in the world.
Stop lying to yourself.
“Your covid numbers, per capita, are some of the highest in the world.”
Our COVID-19 numbers are no where near accurate, but because of our small size the figures available (not necessarily reported) are a true reflection of what we know.
When I say that our COVID-19 numbers are no where near accurate I mean if you test positive for COVID-19 at home and call down to Perots Post Office for a PCR test they will not give you an appointment and they will tell you to self-isolate. The do not ask your name or any details, so there is no record of your testing positive.
LOL
Sounding like a bunch of cry babies. Get over it, it’s in place ! We are in deeper debt b/c the OBA has us paying to ensure profits guaranteed for a an ugly airport was constructed using recycled materials, and they borrowed 2x during their governance. If TAs are helping to subsidize the COVID response costs so be it. Talk about something that matters !
The TA is not subsidizing covid response costs. It’s generously financing its software providers though. Isn’t that right, Burt?
LOL, more lies by the plp.
You’re in $4Billion debt because of the plp’s freinds and family plan, the hospital…that you’re paying billions for…LOL..Port Royal, Morgans point, St Regis…to name just a few of the things that the PLP has destroyed due to their, and your, incompetency.
One things for sure….you’re a liar. LMFAO