The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE first case of coronavirus, a 61-year-old woman from New Providence, was reported in March.

That case, and those that followed, opened a Pandora’s box of uncertainty for Bahamians in every sector of society, leaving the nation facing “urgent challenges” as Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis put it.

Since then, three things remain certain: we have been left astounded by the number of lives ended by the respiratory virus, surprised by the political fallout COVID-19 ushered in and we were ultimately left unprepared for the hardship that was forced onto thousands of people.

The toughest pill to swallow in the midst of this crisis has been the lives lost to COVID-19. To date, health officials say 170 people have been casualties of the easily spread disease – 170 families left grieving.

Not only has this grief struck those in politics, but it has devastated most notably those in the health care sector who have dedicated their lives on the front lines fighting this battle.

Kimberly Johnson-Rolle, the sister of Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson, was the country’s first COVID-19 death. The Bimini resident died in late March after she was airlifted to Nassau due to complications from the virus. She had travelled to Florida and complained of chest pains upon her return home and went to the Bimini clinic.

She died not long after arriving in Nassau.

The tight-knit Bimini community was left in shock, but those closest to the first victim were crushed.

Her daughter, Kotekennya Rolle-Edgecombe said in a Facebook post at the time: “I’m still in shock and my heart feels crushed… Words will never be able to express my love for you, and how much I will miss you.

“My heart is shattered. But some of your last words to me was ‘just pray Kotes’. I will teach my children like you taught me to pray and trust God.”

Days later, on April 4, Dr Judson Eneas’ death rocked the medical fraternity.

The 72-year-old’s wife was unable to say goodbye to her husband of nearly 50 years.

On Tuesday, March 31, Dr Eneas was taken to hospital after his condition began to decline. He suffered through symptoms of the virus for several days prior to his death, according to his nephew. By Thursday of that week, the veteran nephrologist - kidney specialist - was placed on a ventilator. He died just two days later.

He was the country’s first doctor to die from COVID-19 and the fifth virus fatality at the time.

Dr Eneas, identified by healthcare officials as case #18, had no history of travel, but was linked to a previous case who had also been hospitalised.

Dr Eneas’ wife Marcheta sent a voice note to family members from quarantine, saying she believed her husband’s death was “God’s perfect plan”. She added she was saddened by this turn of events.

“I am not angry, I’m not angry at all. I’m sad. The saddest thing is that I couldn’t go to the hospital and say goodbye to him last night and I’m also quarantined and not allowed to leave the house,” she said.

We are also reminded of the heartbreaking voice note an ailing nurse sent to loved ones describing her ordeal as she fought COVID-19 in a clinic.

Nurse Bernadette Rolle, at one point expressed hope that she would overcome the disease, saying: “…I out of the worst, I out of the worst (sic).”

But instead she died on Friday, August 21—one of ten people whose death from COVID-19 was confirmed that week.

In the recording, Nurse Rolle said the difficulty she felt breathing and eating was “scary”, likening her battle with COVID-19 to a rollercoaster ride.

“It’s just, oh my God,” she said breathlessly.

The mother-of-two worked at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and was being treated at the South Beach Clinic when she died.

She said in the audio that another nurse prayed with her and reminded her that she had to fight for her children.

Nurse Rolle lost the battle.

The COVID-19 pandemic was not short on controversy with a well-liked political figure having to resign in a fast-moving situation that no one expected to end the way it did.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis accepted the resignation of Dr Duane Sands from the post of health minister on May 4.

“I thank him for his service to The Bahamas, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. I will make a further statement on this matter (today), including on who will serve as minister of health,” Dr Minnis said in a brief statement.

The Elizabeth MP offered his resignation to Dr Minnis for his actions related to six permanent residents who landed in the country with COVID-19 testing supplies and were allowed to quarantine at home before they produced a negative COVID-19 test result.

Some Bahamians were initially angry over the episode because hundreds who had wanted to return to the country had been stuck abroad at the time.

Dr Minnis said protocol was breached during the episode.

Though Dr Sands said days prior that he would not resign from Cabinet over the affair, he ultimately did just that.

“I refer to the unfortunate controversy surrounding the delivery of COVID-19 test swabs and the landing of permanent residents under what you have termed a breach of protocol regulating the entry to the Bahamas by Bahamian citizens and permanent residents under Emergency (COVID-19) Regulations,” he said in a letter to Dr Minnis, which was posted to the Elizabeth MP’s Facebook page.

“I accept responsibility for this breach of protocol. I acknowledge that I acted outside of the scope of my authority in this matter. My actions were guided by my great desire to obtain the much-needed testing swabs which are in short supply both here and internationally and which are key to our efforts to trace the spread of the coronavirus so as to better focus our responses. I acted at all times in good faith.

“Nevertheless, I acknowledge that my actions have caused embarrassment for which I express sincere regret. We continue in the midst of a most serious pandemic when focused attention should be trained only on how best the spread of COVID-19 might be slowed and eventually be stopped. I believe that my continued presence in the Cabinet may serve as a distraction from our effort and hence I offer my resignation from your Cabinet. I thank you for the opportunity to serve our great country.”

Former Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe connected Dr Sands with donors who supplied 2,500 test swabs that cost $11,250, prompting an effort by the former health minister to get the swabs here.

Dr Sands got approval from Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar for a N-578GC aircraft to deliver the supplies to the country.

He then got approval from Immigration Director Clarence Russell for the passengers.

Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells went on to succeed Dr Sands as minister of health.

In August, Dr Sands told a local radio host the situation was never expected to get this far.

“I believe that this was something that got away,” he told Wendell Jones. “This was never intended to rise to this level and there was a certain anticipated set of optics, that a letter of resignation is tendered, it’s refused, it’s nice and tidy and we move on.”

At the time, he said Dr Minnis asked him to resign.

COVID-19 has also caused widespread hardship.

The country’s major hotels shut down in March because of the coronavirus crisis and temporarily laid off staff, with Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar saying the unemployment rate at the time was probably above 30 percent and expected to grow.

Baha Mar, Sandals, Atlantis and the Melia resorts all announced their planned suspension of operations. Some of the resorts intended to pay staff a fraction of their salaries during the difficult time.

“Every single hotel if they have not so declared (that they are shutting down), are probably heading in that direction as the world closes its borders and shuts down,” Mr D’Aguilar said yesterday. “This is going to be grim.”

The government and National Insurance Board collectively spent almost $150m on supporting jobless Bahamians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the food distribution task force was birthed as another arm of assistance for those in need.

As economist and Fidelity Bank Bahamas Executive Officer and Director Gowon Bowe put it yesterday, Bahamians must view 2020 as a lesson.

He said: “COVID-19 highlighted several things: we do have a significant dependence on tourism and I don’t think it’s an incorrect dependency but it is what we have the greatest natural resources in, but we have to be very methodical and deliberate in how we exploit our natural resources and how we prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

“COVID-19 has also left us uncertain about when we’ll be able to act normal again.

“It was a sobering year. It was one that we should not see as being the end of an era and saying it will destroy us. It is one of those things that if it doesn’t kill you will make you stronger and we have to learn a lesson from it.”