MONDAY MORNING UPDATE:
• Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis tabled a resolution in Parliament to extend the COVID-19 emergency powers until May 30th. He said he knows that some will be disappointed by the extension, but he assures all Bahamians that this short-term sacrifice and pain is absolutely necessary.
• Dr Minnis asked Bahamians to wear a colour of the flag tomorrow to show solidarity in the nation’s fight against COVID-19.
• The shopping schedule will remain. Curfew and weekend lockdowns from 9pm Friday to 5am Monday remain until health officials advise otherwise.
• The PM said those breaking quarantine could face fines of up to $20,000, five years in jail, or both.
• The PM said restrictive measures have saved lives and reduced the number of cases. He added that there has been a 36% reduction in the number of new cases thanks to social distancing and emergency measures.
• Dr Minnis said over 200 Bahamians overseas want to return home. The government is finalising plans to bring those individuals home. All wanting to return should contact the Consul General in Miami. They will be quarantined on their return in a designated facility which will be guarded by the Defence Force.
• The PM announced residential rentals assistance for those whose employment or income has been affected by COVID-19. Those affected will have a portion of rent deferred or postponed for three months (starting from 1st April). Unpaid rent can be paid back within a full calendar year.
• Commercial banks are also willing to defer mortgage payments on rental properties. The renter must: Be renting property inside The Bahamas, have a monthly rent of $2,000 or less, be no more than one month in arrears, be a citizen or legal resident, have their employment or income stream affected by COVID-19, provide evidence and sign an agreement to repay the deferred payment.
• The PM showed Parliament a diagram for a five phase plan for re-opening the economy.
• The PM announced that a committee will look at how to restart the economy.
• The PM praised Blanco Bleach and John Watling’s for their sanitizer products and the local face mask industry.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A RETURN to normalcy may be delayed for at least another month because the Minnis administration is expected to pass a resolution in the House of Assembly today that extends the COVID-19 state of emergency until May 30.
The resolution that will be tabled today, and seen by The Tribune, says the state of emergency and the Emergency Powers (Covid 19) Regulations made on March 17 will continue until May 30 as will the subsequent orders Dr Minnis has issued. This means the national curfew and weekend lockdowns would remain in effect.
When he speaks today, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is also expected to give an address about food assistance and his administration’s economic plan for reopening the country while touching on the long promised rental assistance.
There were 80 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus up to press time and the country has a mortality rate of nearly 14 percent.
The unpredictable nature of the virus, which has killed more than 200,000 people worldwide, has created uncertainty about when Dr Minnis’ draconian measures will end, with the potential exposure of healthcare workers at Princess Margaret Hospital to COVID-19 slowing progress toward reducing the restrictions.
When contacted for reaction, opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday that he has reached his boiling point. “I don’t see the end in sight,” he said.
Given the draconian restrictions in place, Parliament should be allowed to play its oversight role more frequently, he said.
“I’m concerned that the government is suggesting the suspension of civil liberties for a further 30 days and hopefully they will be able to demonstrate why that period is required or needed,” he said. “From where we observe and not having been privy to all of the medical data that they have because it was not shared with us, they may be able to persuade us why they think that period is needed.
“Clearly having regard to what we are seeing, we have lost six weeks. These measures have been in place and we still have not been able to appreciate or understand where we are in this fight against this virus. It appears that we are losing the battle and having recognised that, we are seeking to push the reset button and that is troubling because we are imposing these measures that are having significant consequences to the lives of our people and our orderly way of life and what have we to date produced?”
Last week, health officials could not say how long they expected the curfew and lockdown measures to remain in effect.
However on Thursday Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, co-ordinator of the government’s COVID-19 response, said that they will extend into May.
Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said he did not know when the stringent measures would be relaxed.
“The more adherent we are to these interventions and initiatives, the sooner this will end,” he said last week. “And then, we will have to be deliberate, cautious and careful in a methodical rollout of the reopening. At this point, we have no time for that. We have no date when that is going to happen.”
Comments
paulhummerman 3 years, 12 months ago
Curfew and lockdown must continue until there's a clear sustained decrease in the number of new infections, since otherwise we risk 14% of the population dying. There is no other path, unfortunately.
happyfly 3 years, 12 months ago
You are so out of touch with reality it is scarey
tell_it_like_it_is 3 years, 12 months ago
More businesses need to open during the month of May. Just continue mandatory face masks and social distancing. There are definitely not enough days for businesses to be open.
People are going to get more frustrated as time goes on.
Dawes 3 years, 12 months ago
We have a mortality rate of 14% because we don't test. If we were all tested then the rate would go down dramatically. They keep mentioning this rate and then those super spreaders who they have not tested. So they know there are plenty people out there who have it. But it benefits them to say plenty people will die if they don't have this lock down. Ask them to show what the effect will be in deaths for us with so many people unemployed. How many additional deaths there will be in the long term as the Government will not be able to fund the already underfunded health care. They should open up and those who are high risk completely self isolate. Why should all of the population watch pretty much everything disappear because we are unwilling to isolate these 14% (which will be a lot lower).
birdiestrachan 3 years, 12 months ago
Islands that have had zero cases and Grand Bahama with 7 should be allowed to open. some businesses. Not bar rooms or sit down restaurants. fish fries.
It is common sense. there is no need for a task force for this..
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 12 months ago
GB should not be opened until we have 4 to 6 weeks of no new cases. We're ok with this lockdown until we know we are safe.....
And I hope this message from Brave is a practical joke, because Nassau and Bimini are in a surge, this is not the time for idiotic politics....
Well_mudda_take_sic 3 years, 12 months ago
The weekend total lockdowns can no longer be justified as a legitimate measure to help slow the spread of the Red China Virus and are therefore now an unnecessary infringement of the civil liberties (rights and freedoms) guaranteed by our Constitution. Our elected representatives were never empowered by our Constitution or at the people's ballot box to select one of 'their own' as a type of monarch or other supreme ruler with the power to transform our country into a de facto police state for an indefinite period of time. I might add a police state in which our police, defense force and courts are all being used in a very punitive and wrongful way to enforce what can only be described as seemingly endless weekends of martial law.
Tyranny all too easily often comes along whenever extraordinary powers are allowed to unnecessarily remain in the hands of any one individual for too long a period of time, especially an individual who may be prone to becoming addicted to such powers and abusing them.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 12 months ago
I really don't give a rat ass about constitutions or bills of rights at a time like this...
Can we please stop parroting the moron right wing Americans? Dumbest people on earth? Please? Pretty please?
Well_mudda_take_sic 3 years, 12 months ago
We don't all have a government job that comes with generous pay and benefits no matter what transpires. There are many of us 'Peters' being robbed to keep the government employed 'Pauls' living in the non-productive lifestyle they've very much grown accustomed to. You sound like one of the 'Pauls' content to be living off of other people's money whether it be from taxes collected and/or more borrowings that increase our already unsustainable national debt. And you certainly seem to be enjoying more than most that long paid vacation you're now receiving.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 12 months ago
You won't care until it affects you or a family member. That's usually how out of control power gets its roots
RealTalk 3 years, 12 months ago
I am all for a complete shutdown for 2 - 4 weeks.
But due to the decisions made by the government, I have to agree. This 2 day weekend shutdown is POINTLESS and just an abuse in POWER. 5 Days Open and 2 Days Closed is the DUMBEST thing. You are open 71% of the week. 71%.........
STOP WITH THE WEEKEND SHUTDOWNS IF YOU NOT GOING TO SHUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN
Any person who is looking at the numbers can see that this is pointless. NUMBERS DON'T LIE, PEOPLE DO.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 12 months ago
Well they say they've flattened the curve 2 days after they started testing...it looks like we trying to keep in step with the US headlines irrespective if what is actually happening on the ground
RealTalk 3 years, 12 months ago
Agreed
DDK 3 years, 12 months ago
We knew that was coming 😮 Doc and Doc playing hand ball. Time to ease up already!!!! Enough is enough!!
mandela 3 years, 12 months ago
I just hope and pray we see some positive results after May 30th because if not then, what, another 30 days lockdown?
DDK 3 years, 12 months ago
Mandela, don't even whisper it!
birdiestrachan 3 years, 12 months ago
$20.000 or five years or both. Ash did not pay that kind of fine.
No hand cuffs no shackles. he must be privileged , so it must be all right.
moncurcool 3 years, 12 months ago
He was not quarantined.
TalRussell 3 years, 12 months ago
Extraordinary Emergency Power EEP in hands power governing politicians should never be granted nor extended for a month but must return the floor People's House to seek to row forward such EEP for a maximum period 7 to 21 days...and, Extoadinary Powers voting calls for the governing party's majority party's whip rule be suspended allow House MP's to break ranks voting along party lines...thus allowing for free voting by governing party's House MP's. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?
happyfly 3 years, 12 months ago
Why is the opposition and free press not challenging this one-man dictatorship ? Where is the church? Other countries are coming out of lockdown. Respected scientists around the world are challenging the efficacy of total population quarantine. Internationally recognized health experts are advising that we are literally doing exactly the opposite of what we should with regard to developing our own natural immunity. Statisticians are challenging the early death rate data with new, more robust global data that shows death rate percentages plummeting to levels of the common flu
How on earth are the people we rely on to provide a balanced perspective letting a single ego maniac deny every one of our basic human rights and head us full speed in the wrong direction? The rules change daily without you saying a peep. Is there not a single one of you that has the courage to ask what grounds a single individual has to completely disregard the Constitution for as long as he so chooses, based on his own scientific findings? The ministry of health is sending people home with a positive diagnosis and then testing their family members a week later and guess what, more people are infected. The government is relying on a minuscule amount of data that they are obviously manipulating to their advantage and using it to whip up hysterical fear. They are then relying on the very same group of people whom they say can't be trusted to look after themselves to give themselves the mandate to rule without any checks and balances in a potentially never-ending power play.
A $20,000 fine or 5 years of jail time for breaking a 'rule' they made up this morning without an act of parliament. What on God's earth is going on ?
tell_it_like_it_is 3 years, 12 months ago
You have made some good points.
I think the fines are ridiculous as well. I read a story today about a man who was arrested because he used $32 worth of expired food stamps at Super Value.
I couldn't believe what I read. Obviously this person is hungry. If the food stamps were expired... just tell him they are expired and let him go. Why arrest someone who obviously just wants something to eat like many people out here now.
To me, it's the government who has become heartless... not the business owners!!!
DDK 3 years, 12 months ago
Put THAT in Doc's Suggestion Box, Comrade!!!
TalRussell 3 years, 12 months ago
Me dilemma, I try me damndest not be sandwiched between a rock and a hard place.... know what mean?
DDK 3 years, 12 months ago
Not this time Comrade. I think what you wrote earlier was rather important and think it needs to be brought to the esteemed leader's attention post haste!
John 3 years, 12 months ago
Several of the Corona cases and deaths this week were due to breeches in the Medical System. Misjudgment and or mistake that led to both patients and health care personnel being unintentionally and knowingly exposed to the Corona virus. And so it is more than hypocrisy for Minnis to come in front of the nation and double the fines and penalties for persons breaking the curfew. In most incidences it is a person trying to get from point a to point b, or get food or supplies in like manner and they get caught up and out of time. And in most cases they are alone and isolated where they come in contact with no one other than the person they set out to meet, so the chances of spreading the virus is slim to none. And they are almost always from the poor and low income bracket. How can a so called caring PM justify doubling the fines and jail time on these people
hj 3 years, 12 months ago
Just because they can't control the 800-900 persons that are quarantined they choose to shut the whole country dowm,really killing the economy. Of course since now we have a panel of economic and health experts,I shouldn't worry. The only ones that are enjoying the extended lockdown are the politicians and the civil cervants. Keep the current course and the money will run out faster than you think. But then again why would they care
moncurcool 3 years, 12 months ago
So the landlord is now under law to only accept 60% of but the banks are not under law to accept 60% of the mortgage. This just ain't right. The small man is taken advantaged of but the predatory commercial banks are let off to consider if they will help the landlord.
Porcupine 3 years, 12 months ago
Yup. Just like always.
Well_mudda_take_sic 3 years, 12 months ago
None of our ports or islands anywhere in the Bahamas should be opened to the cruise ship companies until a tried and tested effective vaccine for covid-19 has been developed and all passengers and crew members on each cruise ship (without exception) are required to show satisfactory proof of inoculation before disembarking the ship and gaining entry to our country. And the same must apply to all visitors who arrive by air travel.
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