By Adama Makasuba
The Minister of Tourism and Culture has announced that any visitor who is fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease will not be subjected to a rapid test and quarantine in the country starting from October 1st.
Honorable Hamat NK Bah who was speaking at the President Barrow’s rally, said the commitment was made after series of cabinet discussions involving his Ministry and the presidency. He added that President Barrow is committed to seeing Gambians working in the tourism industry re-employ again.
“We started the discussion since Sunday [and] yesterday we concluded the discussions under the instruction of His Excellency the president. The president wants to see Gambian youths employ again [and] he wants to see the tourism industry back again.
“It has been his major concerns. Therefore, the two Ministries have agreed that effect from 1st October, any visitor to this country [The Gambia] if you have OR Code, if you have certified and you are certified [that] you have been fully vaccinated – you are free to come to this country without a PR Test and you will not be quarantined,” he told the rally.
Mr Bah, who heads National Reconciliation Party, also said anyone who produces the above documents will not be subjected coronavirus test and quarantine.
“You are not required to come with a PR Test and you will not be subjected to rapid test and you will not be quarantined,” he reaffirmed.
The Minister’s declaration comes after thousands of employed youth in the nation’s tourism industry lost their jobs due to the outbreak of coronavirus, which has crippled world economics and forced millions of people out of jobs.
The tourism sector employs more than 150,000 workers, is the country’s second-largest contributor of GDP after agriculture, but when the coronavirus emerged in the country in March last year, the government was forced to shut down the industry and ordered people to stay at home to control the spread of the virus.
