“There are persons already asking, tourists… when I come, I want to be able to go in a taxi where the taxi operator is vaccinated,” he said during the April 10, 2021, edition of ‘ZOEJ Says” live-streamed on Facebook.

Cruise industry crafting their own policies on vaccination

Hon Fahie said the government will not be making the rules regarding cruise ships' policies on vaccination, rather, the industry will determine.

“So, the industry will demand what happens, not the government, because when you have a tourist come off the cruise ship and then demanding that they only go in a taxi that is vaccinated, you can’t bring them to the Premier to complain,” Hon Fahie said.

“Do not shoot the messenger,” Hon Fahie further went on to say in highlighting that tourists will have the say on who they want to hire.

“The cruise ships that we agreed to are coming fully vaccinating, the crews are coming for this stuff that created their own bubble… and they are already saying that they want to go in stores where they could be assured that the storekeepers and employees are vaccinated, they want to be with taxis that are vaccinated,” he said.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie has indicated that the cruise ships coming to the territory in June 2021, will be communing will fully vaccinated passengers and crews and as such, will only be supporting businesses and taxi drivers that are vaccinated.

Vaccination is still a choice - Premier Fahie

Regarding vaccination, the Premier assured that while everyone has choices; however, those choices will have consequences.

“Now this is not to bully anyone to take the vaccine, but everywhere in the world recognizes that this now is one of the best opportunities we have to reopen the economy,” he said.

Hon Fahie related that the VI has followed all the protocols and the science and now the territory will move towards re-opening on June 2021, with credit going to Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) and team for their support.