In the last three days, the United Kingdom has recorded over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases.
But even in light of that, over 120 British nationals are heading home via an arrangement made by the British High Commission.
“There is a sense of relief for some of our passengers today,” British High Commissioner Tim Stew said.
Yesterday, several UK nationals boarded a chartered flight, Liat 402, to Barbados just after noon yesterday to catch a British Airways flight, BA 9113, for the UK.
Today, Liat flights 402 and 404, are expected to leave Trinidad and Tobago respectively for Barbados with more UK nationals. They would board a flight to the UK on Friday.
According to Stew, the flight prioritised the vulnerable citizens like Courtney O’Brien, 74, who told Guardian Media that he has been waiting for over a month.
He said he has dual citizenship but admitted that the £600 cost of the ticket was a bit pricey.
“I got to pay extra money and I’m not quite sure if they would compensate me when I go back,” O’Brien said.
“We have a set price for all of these flights and it is heavily subsidised by the British Government,” Stew said.
On March 30, the British Government pledged to provide up to £75 million to assist stranded Britons to return home from places where commercial routes do not exist due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
The citizens were unable to leave this country for over two months as the borders were closed since March 29.
Most of the UK nationals said they have dual citizenship and came to this country to vacation but were relieved to return home and to work.
Lewis Modest, 16, said he was anxious about all the schoolwork he missed out on and hopes it does not slow him down.
But there is something else that his African family was concerned about--the Black Lives Matter protests in London.
“I am certainly worried about going back to the UK and getting wrapped in any kind of race war,” Modest’s Father Lyndon Modest said.
On the same topic, Stew said he believes in equality and rights for all.
His comment came after his partner Shabania Carter post “All Lives Matter” on Social Media. Stew said her views are her views.
“I’m quite clear that she wasn’t intending to provoke anybody at all,” he said.
Stew described the issue as a sensitive one.
