With over 300 confirmed Guyanese stranded overseas during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, four cricketers stranded in Trinidad and Tobago are expected to be reunited with their families at home.
When the pandemic broke in the Caribbean, countries opted to close their borders in March while the cricket season also came to a premature end, leaving at least eight local players marooned abroad.
According to Lusignan Sports Club batsman, Steve Ramdass, he, along with Kandasammy Surujnarine, Garfield Benjamin and Demitri Cameron are expected to return home.
Ramdass, in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday explained that through the media they learnt about the national Covid Task Force (NCTF) aiding stranded law students in Trinidad and quickly reached out to people for help.
The former Demerara under-19 opener said that journalists, John Ramsingh, who is also stranded in the United States of America and Avinash Ramzan “helped us get into contact with all the other people stranded worldwide and we worked as a team…we had to send a lot of e-mails to the consulate in Trinidad and the Task Force.”
The Evergreen Sports Club cricketer explained that while the NCTF has given clearance, the consulate is yet to make official communication with them to know the next step.
He said that they will be subjected to a COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to boarding the flight.
While no flight has been designated, Ramdass informed this publication that they all have return flights via Caribbean Airlines but the consulate is expected to assist in organizing a flight through Caribbean Airlines or Liat.
“We will have to charter our own plane and pool monies to pay for that which would cost around USD 5000 which is a lot,” he said adding that Trans Guyana, one of those offering flights will cater for 13 passengers depending on baggage.
With the possibility of a return in around two weeks, Ramdass expressed his eagerness to return home to his family while detailing the difficulties of being alone in an apartment especially during a lockdown for over two months.
