Jamaica Chamber of Commerce predicting negative effect of coming US travel requirements

2:29 pm, Fri January 22, 2021

/assets/img/stories/display_pic/default_story_img.jpg

Secretary of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Christopher Jarrett

US President Joe Biden, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Secretary Christopher Jarrett and Beyond the Headlines Host Dionne Jackson-Miller

There has been an apprehensive reaction from a member of the local business community to President Joe Biden's Executive Order requiring international air travelers to quarantine upon arrival in the United States.

Secretary of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Christopher Jarrett said there will be an immediate negative effect.

Speaking with Dionne Jackson-Miller on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines on Thursday, Mr. Jarrett said there will be limited time for business people to conduct transactions because of the quarantine period.

He sees this as a direct impediment as, "Its gonna be a challenge to allot that time and then be able to get your business done within the small window because now the quarantine, I'm told, is...10 days? So you now have to allot that additional time in order to be able to do the business."

In issuing the order, President Biden said on Thursday, "Everyone flying to the United States from another country will need to test before they get on that plan, before they depart and quarantine when they arrive in America."

The US Centers for Disease Control recently released a new mandate requiring international travelers to get a negative coronavirus test at least three days before their flight.

The mandate is set to go into effect next Tuesday.

The hotel sector is also expected to be negatively affected.

"[It will be] a little worse than we've been experiencing. At the moment, its pretty flat. We haven't seen any uptick. I think most hotels have been...operating at about 25 to 30 per cent excdept those which are running sails which I think are an attempt to just get some cashflow becuase the rates that they are charging [are] not enough to renew your (sic) product and pay your bills," said Mr. Jarrett, who is also Kingston Chairperson for the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.

comments powered by Disqus