A special task force to spearhead efforts to ramp up Jamaica’s COVID-19 testing capacity has been named by tourism minister Edmund Bartlett. The move comes in light of the growing demand for such tests fuelled by new travel requirements in key tourism source markets, including Canada.

Canadian travellers abroad, as well as the travel industry, were taken by surprise by Canada’s last-minute requirement for airline passengers to produce a negative PCR test starting Jan. 7, but Jamaica managed to negotiate a one-week extension for its guests to get tests done amidst the sudden demand.

And with the US announcing similar measures starting Jan. 26 (the UK already requires the test), Jamaica is determined to ensure a smooth on-island procedure.

Describing the situation as “urgent,” Bartlett said the task force will work along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and tourism stakeholders, both within the public and private sectors, “to boost Jamaica’s capacity to facilitate wide scale COVID-19 testing for visitors to the island.

“We will also undertake extensive consultation with our local and international tourism partners to develop and introduce innovative solutions to effectively address this challenge,” he stated.

Bartlett expressed confidence in the collaborative approach – one that “has proven to be very effective in managing the pandemic to date and has been crucial to our success in introducing our COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols that have been endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council, as well as our COVID-Resilient Corridors.”

The task force is led by Minister Bartlett and includes President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Clifton Reader; First Vice President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig; Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company, Ian Dear; Deputy Chairman of the Sandals Group, Adam Stewart; Executive Director of Chukka Caribbean Adventures and Chairman of the COVID-19 resilient corridor management team, John Byles; and Senior Advisor and Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright.