Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis pictured on Sunday. (BIS Photos/Yontalay Bowe)
By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
AHEAD of the Christmas holidays, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced loosening of COVID-19 restrictions including extra shopping days for retailers, special worship services during curfew hours and social gatherings with a maximum of ten people.
And gym owners, who for months have been agitating for the green light to resume operations, can now breathe a sigh of relief as their facilities in New Providence and Abaco can reopen today under health protocols. Dr Minnis also said the quarantine mandate for travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to other Family islands will be lifted today.
While he touted the strides the nation has made in beating back the second wave of COVID-19, he noted there are thousands who are still out of work and in need. As a result, the government’s unemployment and food assistance initiatives will be extended through January 2021.
He made the announcements as he told the nation the sacrifices the country has made during the pandemic have paid off.
“In order to celebrate Christmas and because we are doing generally well at the moment, I wish to advise you of the relaxation of a number of measures,” Dr Minnis said.
He said residents can attend traditional Christmas and watch night services after the 10pm curfew and families and friends can also get together for Christmas dinners with a maximum of ten people.
“For the Christmas season, church and religious services may be held during curfew hours, that is, after 10pm to accommodate midnight mass, watch-night services and other liturgical services,” Dr Minnis advised the nation.
“This applies to New Providence, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Exuma and Eleuthera, as other islands do not currently have evening curfews. This provision extends from December 24, 2020, up to and including January 3, 2021. For the period of December 24, 2020 up to and including January 3, 2021 social gatherings may take place with a maximum of 10 people.”
He said in the event that any church requires additional provisions to appropriately celebrate the Christmas season, they should make requests to the competent authority. The requests will be given consideration with appropriate consultation with public health officials.
These provisions apply to the islands of New Providence, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera which are under curfew.
Retail operators on the islands of New Providence and Abaco will be able to provide services between the hours of 6am and 9pm on Sunday, December 13 and Sunday, December 20. These islands are still under a daily 10pm to 5am curfew and other public health protection measures are still in place.
On inter-island travel, Dr Minnis said: “Travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to the rest of the Bahamas will be required to obtain the travel visa, to complete the daily health questionnaire and take the rapid antigen test on the fifth day after their travel.
“This is the same protocol in place for international travellers to the Bahamas. Additionally, the requirement for people travelling from Exuma to the remainder of the Bahamas to take an RT PCR test will be removed.”
He said the requirement for an RT PCR test for travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to the remainder of the Bahamas will remain in place.
The unemployed and furloughed will also receive extended support, he said.
“Bahamians are beginning to go back to work,” he noted. “But tens of thousands still remain unemployed and in need. To continue to meet the needs of many of our citizens, the government will extend yet again the unemployment benefit assistance through January 2021.
“This extended unemployment benefit programme, which is funded by the government but administered by NIB, has benefited 36,959 Bahamians whose employment benefits ended after the customary 13 weeks, or who otherwise would not qualify for unemployment.”
Dr Minnis said the payouts for this programme at the end of November 2020 totaled just over $70 million. The extension of the programme through the end of January, he said, will mean that tens of thousands of Bahamians will continue to get some measure of assistance until they are called back to work. The government’s food assistance plan will also be extended.
“Similarly, the government will extend its food distribution programme for the first quarter of 2021 with an allocation of another $10 million dollars to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable in our society,” he continued.
“This programme has to date provided assistance to over 100,000 Bahamians. I want again to thank the many businesses, civic groups and individual citizens who have given their money and their time over and over again to help support the government’s feeding programme and many other programmes.”
Under the relaxed Emergency Orders, Exuma and Eleuthera, effective today, may resume in-person church services following the health guidelines of the Bahamas Christian Council and approved by the Ministry of Health.
Comments
joeblow 3 years, 4 months ago
This one person has done more damage to this country and her people than Dorian and COVID 19 combined! He is a walking disaster!
Porcupine 3 years, 4 months ago
A true Christmas gift to The Bahamas would be for Minnis to abdicate his throne.
KapunkleUp 3 years, 4 months ago
His tie matches his suit quite nicely. That's all I have to say.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
Take a good look at his power content smiling face in the photo to this article. Remember it well as the face of the man who has destroyed the lives of more Bahamians than any other person in history. In fact, when the dust settles on the heap of rubble he has turned our country into, the historians will unequivocally acknowledge that were it not for this most incompetent, corrupt, arrogant, nasty and vindictive idiot, The Bahamas and the vast majority of Bahamians would have been much much better off both during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Topdude 3 years, 4 months ago
Wow. We must live on different islands and/or inhabit different socio-emotional spaces.
Dr. Minnis has singlehandedly raised the profile and reputation of the Bahamas in the international scheme of competitiveness and anti-corruption.
Where would our rankings be were it not for this leader who has singlehandedly erased the nasty stain of corruption and perversion, drug smuggling and kickbacks from how foreign investors used to view our country.
And those like Tribanon, who have the temerity to cast aspersions at Dr. Minnis must surely live in a world clouded by perversion, drugs and alcohol.
Any right thinking Bahamian knows that Dr. Minnis is a Godsend. He did not go into politics to steal . On the contrary, he went into politics to heal. To heal a nation on the verge of economic and moral collapse.
The fact that he does not bow down and bend over to crooks, charlatans and perverts should not engender the kind of vitriol which comes out of the mouths of the jealous and wicked. He has the testicular fortitude to do what is required. To do what is just, fair and necessary during these difficult times.
Everyday I sit and pray and wonder where would we be as a nation without this MAN? I ask the Almighty to continue to bless him and the members of his Cabinet. Let us give thanks and our prayers for his continued good health, unhindered vision, depth of morality and 100% masculinity. God Bless you Dr. Minnis. We love you.
viewersmatters 3 years, 4 months ago
Keep their cornbeef. And am hoping that some day i the average man can buy a plane and machines so i wont have to pay VAT on those items
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
lol. nobody believes this spin in the international arena. They barely respect the people we have with sense
pablojay 3 years, 4 months ago
There is nothing that the PM is being blamed for that other world leaders are not being blamed for . I have a relative who lives in the U.S. and she is talking about unemployment and long food lines there also and i know that you are all aware of it because you watch news and read.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
You're possibly watching way too much fake news. Try avoiding cable and network TV stations as much as possible. Same goes for news created and/or filtered by the high tech giants in media like Google/YouTube, Facebook, etc. Just about every meaningful statistic maintained by reputable global health and economic organizations to show how well individual countries have handled and fared thus far during the COVID-19, shows The Bahamas ranked near the bottom of the list, including among other small nations whose economies are similarly very dependent on tourism.
happyfly 3 years, 4 months ago
If you really have a look beyond the chosen few examples that the fake media shows you - the reality is that most of the poorer nations on the planet recognized that they did not have the luxury of locking down and following the leader down the toilet bowl. This lunatic of a PM decided that we could run with the big kids. Play the same game as countries that can feed themselves. Countries that are not drowning in debt and 110% reliant on one sole tourist economy. Yes we all like to compare ourselves to America and all them but in deluding ourselves we have thrown down the dice with the devil
mandela 3 years, 4 months ago
A Christmas gift to whom? Sorry but I just like most citizens know what steak, crawfish and any top of the line food taste like, bologna is not steak and corned-beef ain't no crawfish.
Proguing 3 years, 4 months ago
Thank you Santa Claus, but where is your outfit?
TalRussell 3 years, 4 months ago
Over 24-hour timeline sprungs policy switch around made from behind locked doors up in the office right honourable prime minister ORHPM, which were being formated contrary to preventing the risk that would result in a spike of infections COVID.
A spike in cases will dangerously overwhelm the apparatuses required to support we colony's healthcare system. Shakehead a quick once for upyeahvote, a slow twice for not.
John 3 years, 4 months ago
Minnis look like he ready to let y’all the Carnival come in and let y’all have Junkanoo for Christmas ...lol
whatsup 3 years, 4 months ago
What is on his lips? Vaseline?
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
lol. I think so.
birdiestrachan 3 years, 4 months ago
Christmas Gift? Are they serious.
birdiestrachan 3 years, 4 months ago
A true liar is one who believes their own lies. they make up things. "roc wit doc' has been a disaster. he has broken the backs of the poor...Bahamians.
Oban increase in taxes. Our Lucaya deal announcements that make no sense. He appears not to have the ability to think things through to make good common sense.
birdiestrachan 3 years, 4 months ago
The same newspaper mind you. the PM delivers a Christmas Gift?
Mr: Rolle of the central Bank says be prepared to pay more TAXES. Where is the Gift?
I guess the Gift is to roc wit doc.
John 3 years, 4 months ago
California and other parts of the US goes into lockdown just weeks before Christmas as the US continues to shatter Covid—19 records daily. Count your blessings.
John 3 years, 4 months ago
The US is leaning towards mass vaccinations rather than building natural resistance. Herd Immunity. TIME FRAME: at least a few weeks before first part of vaccine is administered. Second part of vaccine will be administered at least three weeks after first part. Effects of vaccine (protection). do not kick in for at least five weeks after second part of vaccine is administered. And there will be side effects. So it will be at least ten weeks before the vaccine becomes effective. By that time covid-19 may have dried up and disappeared. AND one of the vaccines has to be stored at sub-zero temperatures and requires specialized equipment for storage and to be administered. Is the vaccine brought to room temperature before it is injected in your body?
John 3 years, 4 months ago
Can you imagine the billions/trillions these pharmaceutical companies will make? Wanting to vaccinate the entire world population with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. And this has to be done annually. If even 2/3 of the population is vaccinated annually that will be over $100 BILLION in revenue for these companies.
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