KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jennifer Housen, the attorney representing several of the Jamaicans aboard Marella Discovery 2, has confirmed that they are to arrive in the island next week.

Housen made the announcement in a recent Twitter post.

“The Government of Jamaica has now decided to bring home the Marella Discovery [2] 43 on May 6, 2020. I thank the [Prime Minister] @AndrewHolnessJM and MFAFT (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade) @kaminajsmith for this first leg of the journey. That they will have to pay US$20 per day for quarantine needs to be dealt with,” Housen said in a tweet.

The 43 Jamaican crew members were reportedly denied entry into the country on April 2, despite being in Jamaican waters. They left the following day.

On April 6, OBSERVER ONLINE reported that the Jamaican crew members were reportedly moved to tears after the request for permission for them to disembark went unanswered by the Jamaican Government, which on March 24, closed the country’s borders to incoming passengers in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, locally.

On April 4, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced an extension of the travel restrictions by a further 14 days. That order has been further extended to May 31, however, nationals are now being allowed into the country under the Government’s controlled re-entry programme.

The request was made by the ship’s captain on behalf of the Jamaicans, but with no response forthcoming from the Government the Jamaicans were told that the company had no other option but to move on.

They journeyed to Lisbon, Portugal where the ship was reportedly denied access before docking in Southampton, England.

They are currently aboard the ship.