THERE seems to be something of a conspiracy theory circulating over the government’s use of emergency powers.
Some, including some who really ought to know better, are speculating that the extension of emergency powers is part of some fiendish plan by the government to keep us locked down forever to serve their purposes as dictators.
To those we would say, take a look around the world.
Right now, cases of COVID-19 are skyrocketing in Europe, the US is experiencing another surge with the prospect of potentially hundreds of thousands more deaths, and each of our potential tourism markets is still wrestling with the virus that has put such a stranglehold on our world.
Indeed, the countries that have dealt with the virus best have been the ones that clamped down hard, early on, and were able to loosen restrictions having stemmed that initial surge.
There is nothing welcome about the government having to extend emergency powers until the end of January – but there is nothing sinister either.
We do not want these restrictions on our lives, of course not, but the extension merely allows the government to act if there is another surge in cases – which given our proximity to the US and our ability to travel to hotspots there is very possible.
Merely having the rules in place does not mean that they have to be exercised. Over-enthusiastic application of those rules can absolutely be a source of complaint – we’ve spoken in this column on many occasions of the lack of logic behind some of the restrictions and the inconsistency.
But if we were to experience a major surge and not be able to do anything about it in time because MPs had to go back to Parliament to implement new rules rather than just extending the one’s we have in place already, that could cost more than our patience, that could cost lives.
So when people talk about dictators and tyrants, look at what the rest of the world is doing. All of these lockdowns and curfews, all of these guidelines on how businesses should operate – this is all guidance being repeated to some extent in countries everywhere. Those nations taking a lighter hand are often the ones experiencing the greater surges as a result – take a look just across the water at the US and the states without mask mandates are experiencing significant numbers of new cases.
“When cases spike, governments do not have the liberty of a long period of time to act,” said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday. “If a government waits too long to act, many more people get sick; many more people are hospitalised and more people die.”
We’ve seen that already here – when Grand Bahama experienced a surge in cases and we were slow to limit travel from there, resulting in a number of people arriving in New Providence and unwittingly bringing the virus with them.
The sooner this virus is gone, the better. But that doesn’t mean we should rush away the powers that help us fight it too early.
What we’re doing appears to be working. Cases are down, and so is the number of deaths. Don’t let conspiracy theorists undermine the good work we have done collectively.
Bay Street dilemma
Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar is rightly concerned about the future of Bay Street – and whether the retailers there can hold on for the return of the cruise ship market.
One of the first cruise ships to start sailing again recently had a number of positive cases on board and had to return to home port – showing that for the cruise market at least, it looks far too early for an attempt to return to normal. For them, it really will likely take the appearance of a vaccine and its wide implementation before confidence will return.
So how does Bay Street deal with having no ships at berth? It could be a long time – Mr D’Aguilar is talking more than three years before getting back to where we are, and we would wager that is optimistic.
There is talk of a vaccine by April, but that isn’t a magical overnight cure. It will likely take two sets of injections a couple of weeks apart, but more than that it needs a significant portion of the population to be vaccinated to drive the virus cases down. So businesses wait, their doors closed while they wait for visitors, their staff wondering when they can get back to work.
The government is going to need to work out what kind of safety net it can continue to offer – and for how long. This isn’t going to be solved in a hurry.
Comments
birdiestrachan 3 years, 4 months ago
The PM will use his power. emergency orders give him the right to call the press and say "immediately there will be a shut down" where ever he pleases.
The Bahamas is not like other Countries. we are divided by water. Bahamians have gone to other Islands for a short time and were unable to leave.
Lockdowns are hard on poor people because of their living conditions small homes with little breathing space.
Power absolute power corrupts enough already. ..
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
"if we were to experience a major surge and not be able to do anything about it in time because MPs had to go back to Parliament to implement new rules
In what world will the Mps not have "enough" time to get to parliament to fight a surge? They was pretty quick to get Kwasi(?) to resign. The only scenarios I can think of would be if a meteor was headed straight for the Bahamas...well you might have months, so strike that off. Alien invasion would work, they'd have invisible force fields so we wouldn't see them till they landed the mother ship on top of queen elizabeth. Then theres Jesus' 2nd coming cuz thats gonna happen in the twinkling of an eye, definitely wouldn't have enough time to get to parliament. So I guess it's not like they made it all up
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
You forgot the rapture. Everyone would be gone except the mps. That worries them.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 4 months ago
"The government is going to need to work out what kind of safety net it can continue to offer – and for how long. This isn’t going to be solved in a hurry."
Here is the problem : the Bahamas has a service based economy that is almost entirely dependent on external sources of revenue. Government revenue has taken a significant hit, while expenditures have massively increased (and will possibly increase even more in the future, depending on what the government decides). Whether we like it or not, we are not America, Canada, or any other first world nation that is capable of running these massive deficits. Most first world nations have domestic industries that can help them stem the bleeding, we do not. Most first world nations entered the COVID crisis in much better economic health than us, we entered already swimming in debt with slim long term prospects of improving that thanks to Dorian knocking out our #2 and #3 sources of revenue while requiring massive amounts of funding to repair infrastructure.
Who Minnis appoints as Minister of Finance will be very telling in many ways. It is arguably the most powerful cabinet position, which is why the sitting Prime Minister usually took on the responsibility as was the case with Ingraham and Christie in recent memory. Who he decides to put there is going to face nothing but a massive headache, and will be in a sink or swim position from day one. He sure better put someone who knows what they are doing in that role.
Bahamians need to get used to the idea of increased/new taxes right now. The government/possible new one in 2022 has no choice but to raise them. With the tourism industry dead in the water for the foreseeable future, they are going to need to increase revenue and there are not too many other ways to do it other than taxation at this point. For all the talk about new industries, Bahamians need to go read a history book. Our country lived in boom/bust cycles before the development of tourism and financial services, and we are clearly going back to bust without them. Agriculture and fishing are not going to power our economy, and oil is too cheap right now to think of that as a way out even if BPC finds a large reservoir.
The government really has two choices here :
1.) Put the debt on the Bahamian people 2.) Put the debt on the government
Both are horrible; new taxes will only destroy the rapidly shrinking middle class even more, and the large deficits will destroy our credit ratings to ultra-junk status which in turns mean even higher interest rates on the loans we will eventually have to take out to fund the country. We are screwed no matter which way you look at it.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
you missed "innovation". Sadly this govt won't allow it to happen, not sure if any will, because they pick and chose who is allowed to receive support and their choices have nothing to do with viability. I recently came across a solution that is currently being used globally by millions. one that has several major drawbacks users are clamouring to correct. Guess what, the idea with today's requested fixes was proposed here 4 years ago. We have no vision. We buying umbrellas for coconut vendors.
It will happen without them, creation finds a way, it will just take longer. Time the country can ill afford.
As to the appt of the finance minister being crucial, Tex Turnquest was just appointed to oversee land reform. They don't care about crucial
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
@joeblow pointed this nassauguardian Shayne Davis letter writers contribution:
All three countries were successful in suppressing the first outbreak between March and May. And all three reopened on July 1. Here are the results:
March to June: Bermuda – Cases 146 – Deaths 9, Barbados – Cases 97 – Deaths 7, Bahamas – Cases 104 – Deaths 11
Since July 1: Bermuda – Cases 53 – Deaths 0 (None since May) , Barbados – Cases 140 Deaths 0 (None since April), Bahamas – Cases 6,610 – Deaths 133
That's what they've done so far with their powers
happyfly 3 years, 4 months ago
How about putting together a panel of experts that can devote 100% of their time to monitor the covid situation and make recommendations to a cabinet that can convene online at a moment's notice. Can we not make some exceptions to the constitution right now instead of trashing the whole thing in the garbage? The elected leader of this country has had several months to come up with a plan to return us to our constitution and any excuse at this point not to do so, is absolute hogwash. Who and how and why on earth would this one-man act as minister of health and now minister of finance and simultaneously be able to make a humane decision on who needs to be denied their personal freedoms in what part of the country this weekend.....and also carry out the roll of being PM whilst every aspect of the country's physical, social and financial health is in freefall. This situation is a total bunch of BS. Minnis is not a messiah but the cult of covid sure has turned everyone's minds to jelly !!
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