The Ministry of Health has ‘de-commissioned’ Camp Balandra and the Brooklyn Facility in Toco and Sangre Grande respectively, after incurring a bill of TT$831,005 over a seven month period to use the facilities as part of its Covid-19 parallel healthcare system.
The two venues are now deemed to be surplus to requirements, due to ‘the introduction of home isolation for low risk Covid-19 positive patients’ and ‘the opening of a new parallel healthcare facility at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Valsayn’.

(Copyright Office of the Parliament)
Camp Balandra, which was first used to quarantine voyagers from the infamous Costa Favalosa cruise excursion, cost taxpayers TT$320,000 for a six-and-a-half month period. The Brooklyn Facility incurred a cost of TT$511,005 for six months.
The Ministry of Health moved to home isolation for positive cases not requiring special medical attention on 26 August. At present, there are 108 persons hospitalised for the novel coronavirus with 10 persons in step-down facilities. There are 1,683 positive persons are under quarantine orders at their homes.
There were 76 new positive cases today.
The Ministry of Health reminds members of the public to adhere to the ‘new normal’ and:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when you go out in public;
- Keep your distance from others (six feet);
- Stay home if you are ill;
- Clean then sanitise surfaces, such as tabletops, door knobs and cell phones;
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitiser;
- Cough into a tissue or into the crook of your elbow;
- Avoid touching your face.

Persons are urged to call Covid-19 hotline numbers: 877-WELL, 87-SWRHA or 877-3742 (Trinidad) and 800-HEAL (Tobago) if they feel unwell; or they can report a possible breach of Covid-19 regulations by calling 555, or sending messages—inclusive of photographs and videos—to the Police App or via Whats App to 482-GARY.
Is it a breach of Covid regulations if the health worker does not call me for 7 plus days since the last time they called (twice a day), to check and see if I am still alive…or tell me what my results are or am I just supposed to call them instead? They probably should have decommissioned those facilities at the same time they announced home quarantine…did they have trouble getting people to leave?