St Maarten Health Ministry Advised Royal Caribbean Against Cruise Ship Call

By: - January 27th, 2014

Above: the Explorer of the Seas

By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Maarten’s government says it advised the Explorer of the Seas’ medical officer not to make its planned call on the island, which had been scheduled for Monday.

The announcement came after Royal Caribbean said it would be sending home its Explorer of the Seas ship early.

According to a government release, the Collective Prevention Services department of St Maarten’s Ministry of Public Health advised the ship’s on-board medical officer that the ship should pass by the Port of St Maarten “in the interests of mitigating any risk to public health to residents and visitors on the island.”

The CPS advised the ship to “return to its homeport in the interests of mitigating any risk to public health to residents and visitors on the island.”

The CPS told the Explorer of the Seas’ medical officer that “overall number of cases far exceed the recommended norm” and that there was “no guarantee the outbreak is and will be contained based on the vessels last presented overview and reported numbers.”

The Explorer of the Seas will be returning to its home port in New Jersey on Wednesday, two days before its planned return date.

News

Infosys to Open Puerto Rico Office

Above: Aguadilla By the Caribbean Journal staff India-based firm Infosys could soon open an office in Puerto Rico, according to Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla. The Governor said the firm, which specializes in information technology and consulting work, would be bringing in an investment of more than $9 million over two years. The investment […]

News

Air Canada Rouge Adding Caribbean Flights From Toronto, Montreal

Above: an Air Canada Rouge plane By the Caribbean Journal staff Air Canada’s leisure carrier, Air Canada Rouge, is adding several new Caribbean destinations out of Montreal and Toronto, it announced Monday. The new destinations include Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti and Cancun. The move is a shift for the destinations from […]

News

Bermuda Tourism Authority Names CEO

Above: Bermuda By the Caribbean Journal staff The Bermuda Tourism Authority has appointed Bill Hanbury its new Chief Executive Officer. The appointment took effect on Monday. Hanbury had previously served as the CEO of the United Way of the National Capital Area, where he worked from 2009 to 2013. He had previously served as President […]

Antigua Changes Income Tax Rates

 Above: Antigua (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Antigua has modified its income tax structure, with a series of reductions, according to Finance Minister Harold Lovell. The biggest change will see the personal allowance for computing income tax increase from EC $3,000 per month to $3,500 per month. Lovell said that would mean more […]

St Lucia Eyes Health Alliance With University of the West Indies

Above: the new National Health Complex in St Lucia (Photo: Ayman Khalil) By the Caribbean Journal staff St Lucia’s government is considering an alliance with the University of the West Indies that would link the country’s hospitals with the regional institution’s medical science faculties. The partnership would turn St Lucia’s New National Hospital Complex into […]

Golfer Jessica Korda Wins Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic

 Above: Antigua (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Antigua has modified its income tax structure, with a series of reductions, according to Finance Minister Harold Lovell. The biggest change will see the personal allowance for computing income tax increase from EC $3,000 per month to $3,500 per month. Lovell said that would mean more […]

Royal Caribbean Ship Returning Home Early After Illness Outbreak

Above: the Explorer of the Seas By the Caribbean Journal staff Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas will return home two days early from its 10-day Caribbean cruise, the company said on Sunday. The ship, which was carrying several hundred passengers with an unknown illness, called on St Thomas on Saturday. It was evaluated by […]