Reaction to a Temporary Ban on Travelers From India

The Government of Belize has imposed a temporary travel ban on persons who have recently visited or arrived from the Republic of India, as well as the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.  Both countries are experiencing a massive explosion in the number of COVID-19 infections.  On Tuesday, Cabinet agreed to institute travel restrictions.  Earlier today, we spoke with Arun Hotchandani, Honorary Consul General of India in Belize.

Arun Hotchandani, Honorary Consul General of India in Belize

“Our take is that we understand that every government has to protect its citizenry and as the prime minister said that it’s a ban.  I think that it’s definitely a temporary ban and other countries in the nearby vicinities have done it.  I think the United States have and Mexico has more of a quarantine.  I think the prime minister has done that as more of a precautionary measure and we understand that and we respect that.  We’ve all had a very difficult last year and COVID has taken a very detrimental role on Belize as well as the economy.  So we understand that and we are sensitized to that fact and we hope that the ban can be lifted as soon as the situation in India would turn around.”

Isani Cayetano

“Can you give us a more or less of what impact it would have on either the Indian community that’s travelling back and forth in terms of doing business or persons who are away doing school in India or persons who are travelling on a whole?”

Arun Hotchandani

Arun Hotchandani

“India is still open for its citizens to return back home.  For example, yesterday there were three students or four students and the remaining block that were here last year.  Late last year we had approximately six or seven hundred students that migrated back to India.  Medical students I’m talking about.  I know up to yesterday three students flew back into India.  So India is still getting in their nationals coming back home.”