Disembarkation process complete for Jamaican RCCL ship-workers

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the disembarkation process for Jamaican workers on the ‘Adventure of the Seas’ cruise line ship operated by Royal Caribbean   Limited (RCCL) was completed on May 25 at the Falmouth Pier in Trelawny.

The final batch of Jamaicans left the vessel in the morning, Holness said outlining that the management of RCCL reported that 1024 of the 1,044 Jamaicans aboard who wished to be landed in Jamaica have now done so.

“Jamaicans will recall that as early as April, the Government wrote to RCCL to explore ways to bring our Jamaicans home. The ‘Adventure of the Seas’ was given permission to dock on (May 19) following the finalisation of a protocol under the Controlled Re-Entry Programme,” Holness said.

The prime minister said the Ministry of Health and Wellness created a sterile zone around the port to conduct COVID-19 testing, following which the ship workers were transferred to the Bahia Principe hotel in St Ann to await test results.

“At present nine Jamaicans from the ‘Adventure of the Seas’ have been placed in isolation, having tested positive for COVID19, while 384 persons have been sent to do home quarantine following their negative test result.

Persons who are allowed to quarantine at home have consented to have their locations geo-fenced, using smart technology through the JamCovid19 app and to do a video check multiple times per day while in quarantine. "This is administered by the Jamaica Constabulary Force,” Holness said.