Embassy of Grenada

to the United States of America – Washington, District of Columbia

Press Release

Grenada to Accept Only Fully Vaccinated Visitors From July 31, 2021

July 13, 2021 – GIS: Effective July 31, 2021, all visitors arriving in Grenada by air or sea port, must be fully vaccinated.

The change in policy forms part of Government’s ongoing efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 in Grenada.

Under the new guidelines, outside of citizens and residents of Grenada, no one will be allowed to enter the country from July 31, unless they are fully vaccinated. Citizens and residents of Grenada can return whether vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Outlining the coming change, Health Minister, Honourable Nickolas Steele cited alarming statistics from neighboring islands which indicate that COVID-19 cases are increasing. He also noted that the move by Governments to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, has reduced the number of recorded deaths.

Barbados has recorded cases of three notable variants of COVID-19, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 937 COVID-related deaths, and the British Virgin Islands recorded over 1120 positive cases within recent weeks.
According to Minister Steele, while Grenada has effectively managed the pandemic to date, there is no room for complacency.

He said, “My brothers and sisters, we are not any different from these neighbouring islands. To date, we have been spared the worst effects of the pandemic based on the restrictive measures implemented, but these have come at a significant cost and inconvenience to us all. We would hope that these restrictions do not continue and we should be looking at further easement, but the threat remains very real all around us.”

The Health Minister urged Grenadians to get vaccinated as it is their best shot in fighting COVID-19. “Take the vaccine, inquire with Ministry of Health officials to get more relevant information so you are not misled by disinformation.”

Since the start of the pandemic in Grenada in March last year, the country has recorded 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the OAS Delivered Keynote at the 38th Model OAS for High Schools

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 – WASHINGTON, DC

High School students form the USA, Central and South America representing the 34 countries comprising the Organization of American States (OAS), attended the opening ceremony of the 38th MOAS for Secondary Schools to hear the inaugural speech given by Her Excellency Ambassador Yolande Smith, Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the OAS.

In her address, Ambassador Smith, former Happy Hill Secondary School Student Council and National Youth Council Presidents told the audience of over 200 students and faculty advisors that “high school is a time to test theories; a time to feed and fuel your passion; to read, to dream, to take action, to learn, to absorb, to seek mentoring and find positive role models”.

The Ambassador emphasized the importance of youth empowerment for development and shared some of her experiences. She said, “you are the “critical agents for change and since almost half of the region’s population is under the age of twenty-five, the implementation of effective and well-developed national youth policies across this Hemisphere is a timely solution to the woes of the region”.

Ambassador Smith cited Grenada’s 2015-2020 National Youth Policy and accompanying Action Plan as her governments acknowledgement of the importance of youth involvement in the national development agenda.  She said, “when your leaders invest in your personal and professional development, as they did in mine many years ago when I was your age, and as they continue to do across the Americas, it is to guarantee a different – a better – world”.

The Model OAS is an excellent opportunity for young people to delve deeper into the issues that our hemisphere is grappling with at this time in our history, and it is also a window into our past as a region.

Ambassador closed her remarks by encouraging the participants to seize the opportunity to engage with their peers and to connect with each other. To take full advantage of all that this experience will offer them, and to do their respective countries proud as they debate real issues.

Grenada was represented by Springfield Township High School from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.