The Tribune

WHEN Deon Duverny set off to drive his cousin home, he did not expect the journey would end in a prison cell.

The 18-year-old was on the wrong side of the national curfew, and was stopped by police then taken to court, where the magistrate told him to pay a $500 fine or go to jail. With no guardian present, and no money to pay the fine, off he went behind bars.

For the want of $500, he was jailed.

He admitted to being in the wrong – and he was, according to the curfew rules. He said he and his cousin were probably going to stop for something to eat too, and those kind of social contacts are the things that the curfews and lockdowns are trying to stop, to limit the opportunity for the virus to spread.

But is putting a high school student in prison because he doesn’t have $500 in his pockets really the best way? Could he not have been given more time for family and friends to spare him a journey to jail?

The experience he has there was sobering, certainly. He talks of a lack of water. He talks of seeing a prisoner fall from a top bunk and a long wait for assistance. These reports of problems behind the prison walls are nothing new, of course, there has long been talk of difficult conditions at Fox Hill prison.

What we can find comfort in is the response of people who have stepped up to assist Mr Duverny. As Claude Hanna, one of the attorneys who helped to have his court fines paid, said: “We think the system can do better than that.”

Constitutional arguments are swirling over the cases of those fined or jailed over breaches of emergency powers – and the government’s case is not helped by the slow publication of those orders.

But it is worth questioning what the government is trying to achieve – reducing contact between people to stop the spread of the virus – and whether the punishments in place to enforce that are the best way, or can other things be done to achieve that outcome.

Enough of our young are already criminalised – and for those who have a future, let’s not snuff out that potential by allowing justice to be too heavy handed.

Get well soon, Mr Davis

Opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis has been flown to the US as he continues his treatment after testing positive for COVID-19.

We wish him well, of course. We hope he recovers quickly and returns to full fitness.

We’re less sure of the confidence it shows in the Bahamian healthcare system as he heads to the US and the assistance of his daughter, a doctor there. And it won’t help his claims to be a man of the people when he hits the campaign trail once more.

Indeed, we hope he receives the best treatment available, and that our healthcare system can look at what it is unable to provide to other Bahamians in a less fortunate position – and find a way to extend such treatment to them too.

To all Bahamians fighting this disease, we say a prayer for their recovery, including Mr Davis, and including PLP Senator Dr Michael Darville and Central and South Eleuthera MP Hank Johnson, who have both also tested positive.

To you all, keep on fighting.