On Tuesday BodyHoliday and Rendezvous announced that due to the decrease in the number of guests able to visit Saint Lucia, their properties would be closed from this week until May 31. The scheduled re-opening date is June 1, 2020. In a letter to staff, the hotels’ parent company, Sunswept Resorts, indicated COVID-19 is having a horrific impact on the tourism and hospitality industry. In consequence a series of layoffs without pay will go into effect on March 23. To lessen the impact on employees, the company will continue to make contributions toward staff medical benefits and remuneration for vested and accrued vacation leave. At press time, the total number of employees who will be affected by the temporary closures remains unconfirmed.
Communications Officer in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labour, Mr. Shannon Lebourne, confirmed receipt of correspondence pertaining to the layoffs. He said the Department of Labour “is always concerned and worried when situations affect workers, so we are sympathizing with the workers and also the employers.” He said the coronavirus was impacting in similar fashion businesses around the world.
Lebourne indicated that the Labour Department will meet soon with the Employers’ Federation to assess the impact of COVID-19 on operations. “The government will do what is necessary to monitor the situation and stimulate the economy in a manner that keeps businesses open and workers on the job,” he said.
Addressing the National Emergency Management Advisory Committee (NEMAC) meeting on Monday, tourism minister Dominic Fedee said that the industry was experiencing “one of the most challenging times in its history”. He said the government was putting together a stimulus package for the economy. He also disclosed that 15,750 potential visitors could not come to this destination, after seven cruise ship calls had to be cancelled.
The government has announced that effective Tuesday, cruise vessels will not be allowed to berth here. It is anticipated that sixteen cruise calls, reflecting some 30,000-45,000 passengers, will be impacted. Stay-over arrivals figures are also likely to take a hit with the extension of travel restrictions on the United Kingdom. Seven flights a week from British Airways and four from Virgin Atlantic will be disrupted.
On Friday, the minister announced that the Rendezvous property will be used by government as a quarantine facility.
