 The Ministry of Tourism will be working closely with tourism transportation providers in ensuring that they are equipped to execute their duties in the safest possible manner. Meantime, the Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Honourable Dominic Fede, has reiterated government's commitment to the tourism industry and its stakeholders. The assurance follows concerns expressed by the St Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association. Lisa Joseph has that story. In a letter to Prime Minister Hon. Alan Chastney that was reproduced in the press, President of the SLHTA Caroline Trubeskoi sought an audience of the Prime Minister and other relevant ministers on the reopening of the tourism industry and the associated protocols. According to Trubeskoi, the Ministry of Tourism failed to consult with the SLHTA and its members on the reopening protocols. Tourism Minister Hon. Dominic Fede has, however, refuted this. A statement that suggests that there's a lack of consultation is absolutely unfortunate and I think it goes against the facts or the chronology of the events that have taken place because in the last two months we have met with tourism-related organizations including the SLHTA and various subsectors 15 times. We've met even before the tourism industry was shut down in early March with the hotel sector to see exactly where they're at. We've met with the taxi sector, an important subsector of the industry. We've met with the board of the SLHTA to unveil our reopening plans. Minister Fede revealed that a nine-member task force commissioned by his ministry has four representatives of the SLHTA including the President Colin Trubeskoi and Chief Executive Officer Nurani Aziz. The SLHTA President has suggested that the requirement for visitors to present a negative COVID-19 test result conducted 48 hours before boarding a flight has created a stalemate between the airlines and the destination. Minister Fede says, whilst he appreciates the need for hotels to open, government must lead the charge to a safe reopening. We are going through a very difficult time. It's a health crisis that the world has never seen and so what we have to do is when we are contemplating opening we've got to do so with the health and safety of the solution people first in mind and so I think that we have indicated to hoteliers and in the more official capacity to the SLHTA that you know we have to ensure that this is done well. Now the protocols which they spoke of I think we discussed it with the aviation sector and it is a real fact that we may have to review those protocols. Government the minister says has been communicating with the airlines to have robust commercial flights into the island in the shortest possible time. However, government will not be strong armed into a situation that would endanger the lives of citizens. It clearly shows that the aviation sector does not find a protesting protocol to be very practical but I think that you have to ensure whatever protocol that replaces that should not be done in a scurry and it should not be done overnight but it has to be done in a clinical manner in a manner that is very calculated and measured because you know Lisa if we got into the business of reopening and we didn't get it right and we open up our borders to the epicenter of the virus now the United States where the numbers instead of decreasing are spiraling and the public health situation seems to be overwhelmed by what is taking place it would mean therefore that the risk is very very grave and you're endangering the workers of the industry you're endangering the taxi drivers you're endangering the entire population when those workers go back to their communities. Minister Faley says he empathizes with the hoteliers but now it's not the time for anyone to push the panic button for a rush to open. Government he added is taking a balanced approach and will soon make an announcement on the revision of the protocols. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reports in