A still from a video showing crowds outside a supermarket on Tuesday.
By Earyel Bowleg
ITEMS like bread, meat, milk and some canned goods were flying off supermarket shelves yesterday as people flocked to stores.
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis insisted yesterday that there is sufficient food in the country for every individual. Yet, he noted the inventory would be compromised in respect to fresh baked goods and water, due to increased demand, and the time needed to restock.
While canvassing Super Value on Prince Charles Drive, The Tribune noticed the meat and bread section was nearly empty. There was no milk left and very little butter was in the refrigerated cases. Canned goods like tuna and mackerel as well as chips were plentiful as store workers were restocking them.
Shopper Nico Gibson said there was a lot of food to buy, but said cheaper items were being bought up quickly. Another shopper, Patrick Darling, said due to high demand for canned goods etc, people would have to make do with substitutes.
Some Super Value locations like Golden Gates and Prince Charles used a number system. Golden Gates Assistant Manager Christopher Mackey said it was “utter turmoil and chaos outside” and so he and Inspector Johnson came up with the system.
“When we were doing that, we noticed that a lot of the customers who are under the age bracket of 60 were very satisfied with this number system. Allowed them to go back home - come back, and still realise they’ll be serviced before curfew kicks-in again tonight.”
Super Value at Cable Beach had two lines that were equally long - one snaked all the way past Wendy’s at the end of the shopping centre and the other went out to the back of the building to the street.
Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Lanisha Rolle was spotted going into the store but did not wait on the line and walked straight inside. Although there was not much objection towards the minister’s action, Roberto Thompson said it should not have happened.
“...The same set of rules that the Prime Minister set out, everyone should abide by the rule. If they would join the line, they would experience first hand what it is everyone’s talking about the lines being long,” the angry shopper said.
There were tense scenes at Super Value in South Beach, where it was reported police had been to the store three times and the line stretched to Chances web shop - which is outside the plaza.
According to 30-year-old Alexis Curtis, shoppers were also asked to go home but some chose to stay. She said line jumpers caused some unrest.
“They trying jump in front of everybody and try to be dishonest coming from out of cars and going straight in while there’s a long (expletive) line curve all the way around there by KFC,” she said.
Video
Supermarket lines 3
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THERE was chaos at some grocery stores in New Providence yesterday as residents scrambled to get supplies ahead of the five-day lockdown.
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, in response to the long lines, announced that grocery store hours will extend until 10pm and that doctors and law enforcement officers will be joined by other essential workers in shopping exclusively tomorrow.
His press conference came as social media lit up with videos capturing frantic scenes at stores. Lines at times extended for yards as some waited up to eight hours to get inside. Some people brought chairs and umbrellas to cope with the long wait times. Most waited between one to three hours to get inside shops.
At some stores, people huddled around entrances, fighting to get inside while failing to observe social distancing measures, sparking fears that food stores could become a breeding ground for the spread of COVID-19. Police were at some stores, trying to quell the chaos.
Dr Minnis, who implemented a food shopping schedule to reduce the number of people visiting shops each day, said the fluid nature of the crisis demands occasional policy revision.
“While driving to Cabinet this morning,” he said, “I would’ve seen the food lines, the supermarket, I would’ve heard the frustrations of the Bahamian populace with respect to the food lines and I would’ve discussed the matter thoroughly with Cabinet.”
He announced that on Thursday, healthcare workers, Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers will shop from 6am to noon at food stores in New Providence. From noon to 10pm, staff of the National Insurance Board, Ministry of Social Services, Department of Environmental Services, Department of Corrections, Fire Services, Department of Immigration, Customs Department, waste disposal and sanitation companies and essential officers of water, electricity and other sectors encompassing provision of electronic communications, including print and electronic media, will be allowed to shop.
“There is sufficient food in the country for every individual,” the prime minister stressed. “There is not a food shortage. That isn’t an issue.
“We feel that once we extend the supermarket times and remove certain essential services and police, defence force etc out of the alphabetical system, that would immediately reduce the load of individuals visiting our supermarkets.
Video
Supermarket lines
“We ask you to adhere to the social or physical distancing. If you don’t, all the work that the government has done in protecting you can be lost overnight and we do not want a meltdown within our society as we’re seeing around the world.”
Dr Minnis announced that pharmacies will be allowed to open until 3pm on Thursday and that Family Islands are not mandated to follow the alphabetical rules for shopping. He also said bakeries involved in wholesale production will remain open throughout the lockdown.
Video
Supermarket lines 1
Catherine Wilson, a shopper at a supermarket in the Freetown constituency, said the alphabetical shopping schedule made matters worse.
“I’ve been running from store to store because every line is extra long,” she said. “By them doing this, lines are wrapped all around buildings. Before this you could just walk in the store, it was much easier and efficient for everybody.”
Because of the heavy demand for groceries, staff of stores have to frequently restock shelves. Whether people were able to access desired supplies yesterday appeared to depend on whether staff restocked shelves in time for their arrival.
“I got half of the stuff (I wanted),” Mrs Wilson said. “I have to try (join) another line to another store to get the next half of stuff because all the shelves are empty. I didn’t get half the things on my list.”
However, about 15 minutes after her interview with The Tribune, another shopper leaving the same store said shelves were well stocked.
Some residents said lines at some stores moved orderly and as quickly as could be expected in the circumstances.
“The shelves look a little scanty but the lines are moving,” said Kirk Beneby outside a supermarket in the Centreville constituency. “The lines look long but there’s a break in between them for social distancing. I waited a little over an hour and I don’t consider that long given the facts. You have to come here and be patient.”
The social distancing concerns and demand for supplies prompted some stores to implement special rules. Some denied entry to people not wearing masks, for instance. And several shoppers said a wholesaler on Gladstone Road prohibited entry to people not spending at least $300.
“They had their fence closed and would only let some people in,” said Dr Kriemild Saunders, a sociology professor at the University of the Bahamas. “I drove up and parked my car trying to figure out why they weren’t letting people in as usual. A woman was very agitated about the fact that they were only allowing people who would spend $300 in the store. She said the people who have that kind of money, they don’t need to come here. The security guard reiterated that policy to me and told the woman she should go and talk to the manager and administrators if she was unhappy but those were his orders. I understand how she felt. People are trying to buy wholesale because it’s more economical but if you weren’t spending a great amount you weren’t allowed in that store.”
The nationwide lockdown will begin at 9pm tonight and end 5am next Tuesday.
Comments
K4C 4 years, 8 months ago
NO social/physical distancing
customers are bringing in their OWN grocery bags, they should NOT
This will guarantee the further spreading of COVID-19
to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 disease RULES have FOLLOWED
moncurcool 4 years, 8 months ago
So they should carry the stuff home in their hands? What I'm I missing?
K4C 4 years, 8 months ago
IF the shopping bags etc are infected, what do you thunk could happen ?
most countries have started AGAIN using plastic bags to STOP the spread of COVID-19
Imagine those pesky rules are there for a reason, but the NON using of plastic bags in the Bahamas is mind boggling
joeblow 4 years, 8 months ago
... COVID-19 can live up to 2-3 days on plastic!
https://globalhealthnewswire.com/2020/0…
Porcupine 4 years, 8 months ago
Sad. Unecessary. Creating the exact conditions we were trying to prevent. Too many sick people too close to all of the well ones. The making of a national catastrophe.
Clamshell 4 years, 8 months ago
Yup ... ‘zackly.
ohdrap4 4 years, 8 months ago
Lol Lanisha Rolle knows how to buy trouble.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 8 months ago
"see y'all on the other side"
I was sure they were referring to the fact that these people so close they have gotten contaminated. and would be on the other side shortly. They are close but hopefully despite the chaos they will be well
Honestman 4 years, 8 months ago
This is pure madness. What is government trying to do to us? Let people shop once a day Monday to Friday schedule free and keep the 24 hour curfew in place. Things will settle down when shoppers realise there is no need to rush to get their provisions. Have a total lockdown at weekends if necessary. You can see from social media that shoppers are not practicing safe spacing and they are understandably agitated at having to queue for hours on end. A perfect recipe for spreading the virus. Did no one think this through? Utter folly!
joeblow 4 years, 8 months ago
We can expect covid-19 cases to start to pop up in grocery store employees, laundromats and take out eateries any day now because of the significant increase in the flow of customers! So sad, this was largely avoidable if panic hadn't been created.
birdiestrachan 4 years, 8 months ago
the PM caused the people to panic . and set up a run on the supermarket with his ill thought announcements.
The supermarkets are well aware as to how they should run their stores. and treat their customers.
geostorm 4 years, 8 months ago
Sorry @birdie, the people caused themselves to panic! I wouldnt be caught dead standing in that chaos. I will just have to make do with what I have. I would rather eat tea and crackers than knowingly expose myself to a virus that could potentially kill me.
Bahamians are too greedy!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 8 months ago
It's all too clear from the mob scenes at the food stores that no one believes or trusts anything Minnis says. The Bahamas is now without a leader and we all know what that portends in the not too distant future.
TalRussell 4 years, 8 months ago
WHO or WHAT but SHEER MADNESS forces shelter-at-home restrictions upon an entire colony's comrade PopoulacesOrdinary, only to have the old and young mingling for hours outside in THE rain like the herding of sheeps - whilst they're attempting to shop by numbers to find the last of the virus over-priced grits corned beefs, sardines, toilet-papers and asswipes essentials remaining on grocer's shelves.. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?
truetruebahamian 4 years, 8 months ago
There might be enough food, but it takes time to price and restock shelves, time for large deliveries from warehouses and wholesalers time for the cleaning and disinfecting of shelves and surfaces. Taking into account the time and the ability to do this without having paniced persons all about during the process, having change for the customers' purchases - all of this is necessary to put into perspective when making out a "plan".
DDK 4 years, 8 months ago
Total madness and chaos. Was this orchestrated by a sensible Administrator/Administration?????? He/they seem unable to function with any degree of sanity. Do they even THINK?
DDK 4 years, 8 months ago
Honestman, how absolutely, refreshingly sensible!
g9822033 4 years, 8 months ago
Instead of complaining I'd like to offer a solution ......
There are many very easy (and inexpensive or free) to set up queue management platforms such as:
www.skiplino.com www.qless.com/queue-management/ And many others
If anybody knows any retailers please point this out to them. If enough people comment maybe they'll wake up and implement a solution because rest assured this is going to be our new normal for a while.
BONEFISH 4 years, 8 months ago
People were in a frenzy yesterday.Long lines and chaos.
Typical Dr.Minnis.Make a rash decision .The decision creates the problem you were actually trying to avoid.There was little or no social distancing on some of those lines.
Decisions made in an ad-hoc fashion.Only input came from his circle of hand-picked advisors and cabinet.They are not the only fount of knowledge in this country.The people in Grand Bahama created a number system today that is working.
This happens when you simply take ideas from other places and just implement them.Don't think nothing through.
DontAssume 4 years, 8 months ago
I’ve read the comments; I agree and disagree with some opinions. What baffles me is the need for everything to be politically motivated and agenda-driven for some of you. Honestly, mistakes will be made, and best-laid-plans will fall short during the time of normalcy—let alone a pandemic that will go down as historic when all is said and done. I admit, I felt there would be chaos after the announcement of the first complete lockdown being implemented this past weekend, and quite frankly I expected the worst after the announcement of the impending 5-day lockdown. But the problem is shared—1. The government did a poor job of analyzing the potential and reality of the mad rush at the grocery stores 2. Individuals residing in New Providence created the chaos by not following guidelines and directives—I do believe a uniform branch (RBPF or RBDF) should’ve been at every major grocery store 5 am Monday morning to ensure order. Yes, the government must shoulder a great deal of the blame for what transpired the past 24-72 hours; but, we as a people need to mature and be more orderly. Common sense would tell each of us that chaos would ensue, if we’re not considerate toward each other and conscientious regarding the situation that we find ourselves involuntarily immersed.
The lines were aggravatingly long, YES! But, not one of us has anywhere to be, with the many work-stoppages, work-from-home orders throughout the country; so, wait if you can and if you can’t, then retry at another time. Human nature just necessitates discord, and so many of you “governance pundits”, “commonsense gurus” and “pandemic experts”, are just quick to label and castigate all efforts/decisions (good and bad) of Minnis and his administration. There is a reason for the quarantine, and there are guidelines when you’re in public…it’s our responsibility to adhere to them, for our safety—what do you guys want…Hall Monitors? Do your part and if you do, then the scenes at the grocery stores would not be so hopeless and catastrophic as they look/were.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 8 months ago
It's human nature that a society with a disproportionately large number of dumbed down and ignorant people will be unruly in a crisis situation where the dumbest and most ignorant people have no ability or inner strength to recognize the importance of suppressing their animalistic survival instincts for the good of society as a whole. Just think how many standing in those long lines trying to gain entry to the grocery stores are illiterate and prone to mob behavior once their money and patience runs out. But who do we have to blame for that? Answer: Decades of successive greedy corrupt elected officials who now make up the very wealthy and elitist political ruling class in our society, whether they be of FNM or PLP persuasion.
None of the corrupt political elite are worthy of the free pass you seem to wish they be given in the court of public opinion. More importantly though, none of them have done or are are doing anything truly meaningful towards lessening the deadly impact of the Red China Virus on our society. And they certainly much to their own drum beat with little inclination to think things through carefully and heed sound advice wherever it may come from. Instead, government has, through its many missteps and knee jerk reactions set the stage for escalating mayhem and chaos that could result in even more deaths than would have been caused had the virus been allowed to simply run its course through our society. In any event, many of us are already convinced the longer term economic impact of this crisis as opposed to its shorter term health impact will inevitably take the greater number of lives when all is said and done.
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