The Tribune

zephyr 4 years, 7 months ago

This is a good time to talk about health and life generally, by first - running the coronavirus death count to date with that of the death count of other leading diseases and causes of death generally - to date - in The Bahamas - like: cancer, hearth disease, AIDS, traffic fatalities, murder, etc.

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joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago

The first idea is that the PM and Minister of Health should both resign. Their shortsightedness and lack of proper preparation and execution coupled with impromptu pronouncements created panic has caused this virus to spread unnecessarily. This means that they will be responsible for the loss of innocent Bahamian lives. They also refuse to acknowledge their incompetence in the progression of this disease!

Secondly, we need to lift these lockdowns and utilize the police and RBDF to maintain proper crowd control at grocery stores and other key businesses, banks etc. Grocery store and restaurant chains must be encouraged to implement home delivery services to keep segments of the economy active while finding ways to reduce congestion in stores.

It is idiotic to close medical clinics at this time. Many will not want to go to PMH for medical care when Covid cases are going there!

All laundromats must be shut down and the government has to find a way to test people BEFORE they become so sick that intervention cannot help them.

Lastly, we should ensure that if nothing else, the first recommendation is carried out!

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stylesk 4 years, 7 months ago

Discontinue the lines outside stores etc by having individuals stay in their vehicles and establishing a numbering system for them to enter. Allow only a certain amount of people in at a time and set a reasonable time limit that each person or groups of people must check out by. I think this could contribute greatly to avoiding the spread of Covid-19 due to hundreds of people clustered toward outside of foodstores as we saw these past few days.

Additionally, maybe allow major foodstores to deliver throughout the lockdown somehow while people stay inside.

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SP 4 years, 7 months ago

Making masks mandatory was a badly needed step, however, in addition to that, it is only fair they also identify where one could purchase them from.

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moncurcool 4 years, 7 months ago

Glad to see the Tribune doing this. Hope they get to the right place. .

First, the PM need to stop creating the panic and chaos with his ever changing order every other day and then amending before it even has a chance to take effect. Find one thing that you are willing to focus on and let that run for a week or more and see if it works before coming back and changing.

Stop creating a panic with so many changing order, that before we understand the first one, we have to worry about a next one.

Second, if you will announce a change, give people ample notice to be ablate adjust. Having a press conference at 5 pm to tell people the order come into effect at 6 pm does not work to calm people and control the situation. .

I'll come back later

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Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago

What ideas do we have? Really?! Just read the hundreds of posts by many to this website over the past couple of months.

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xtreme2x 4 years, 7 months ago

FOUR THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED: 1. SHUT COUNTRY DOWN FOR 4 WEEKS STRAIGHT 2 ALL FOOD STORES, PHARMACIES, WATER COMPANIES AND WATER DEPO'S CHANGE THEIR WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS. (INSTEAD OF HAVING CUSTOMERS COME TO YOU . THEY DELIVER TO PEOPLE'S HOME) FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE GET SOCIAL SERVICE INVOLVE WITH THEIR LIST OF PEOPLE. HAVE PACKAGES MADE UP OF ASSORTED FOOD ITEMS, FOR EXAMPLE: RICE,OIL,TUNA AND MORE FOR DELIVERIES TO THEIR PLACE OF LIVING WEEKLY. SOCIAL SERVICE MAKE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS WITH ABOVE COMPANIES FOR PAYMENT. (DO NOT GIVE PEOPLE CHEQUE FOR THAT MONTH). 3.DURING THAT MONTH POLICE SHOULD BE ON LOOKOUT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVING PARTY AND LARGE GATHERING SHUT THEM DOWN.

FIND OUT HOW LONG IT TAKE FOR THEM TO SETUP DELIVERY SERVICES ADEQUATE TO TO DELIVER TO ALL CUSTOMERS DAILY. IF THEY SAY A WEEK. FIND OUT WHY IT TAKES A WEEK. BUT ALSO TELL THEM GOVERNMENT WANT IT DONE IN 48 HOURS. EVEN IF IT MEANS WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. I SUGGEST THE DELIVIES DONE AT LEAST 6 DAYS PER WEEK.

1. GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE ALL HOT SPOTS IN BAHAMAS DISINFECT DAILY OR AS THEY SEE FIT. EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO HIRE OUT SIDE COMPANIES TO DO IT.

DOING IT THAT WAY, THERE WILL BE LESS PEOPLE ON OUR STREET FOR THAT MONTH. BUT PEOPLE WILL STILL HAVE THE THINGS THEY ENJOY DAILY.

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Dawes 4 years, 7 months ago

Test and test plenty. We need to know who has it before we can really do anything. There are many who will have it and show no symptoms so we need to find them. Then this virus takes up to 14 days to show, so shut the country down fully for 20 days. But before you do that provide whatever it will take so social services can go to those that need it and deliver food boxes every couple of days. There are too many people on or below the breadline in this country for the Government to shut down for long periods with no help to those in the greatest need. Finally as others have mentioned stop having press conferences to do a huge change in an hour or twos time. That is not helping anyone except causing panic. People now do not trust the Government not to say anything stupid when the press conference is called so they start panicking before the conference happens.

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birdiestrachan 4 years, 7 months ago

STOP arresting people for minor offences such as violating the curfew. and charging them fees they can not pay or a jail sentence The jails are all ready overcroweded

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shonkai 4 years, 7 months ago

If someone is to be quarantined, then test them at least three times in the two-weeks period. Open up a hotel to REALLY quarantine them. Self quarantine leads to family members running a high risk of getting infected, and they are allowed out.

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lb33 4 years, 7 months ago

All Members of Parliament should provide assistance to their constituency, Commodities such as water, food and supplies of face masks which are difficult to get. Each household needs a check-up to see if these provisions are required.

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Godson 4 years, 7 months ago

Please conduct Covid-19 test on the captains and crews of all mail boats ferrying to and fro the family Islands. this should be done a day, or so, before their voyages so as to avoid the disease branching further into the family islands. Thank you.

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Godson 4 years, 7 months ago

To avoid long lines and extra wait time at the food stores, and, to prevent the further spread of the Covid-19 virus, activate some floor runners to operate in the food store so that customers who come with an already prepared list can wait outside while their items are collected by the floor runners. The customer name or number will be called and then they can go straight to he cashier to pay and leave the promises.

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BONEFISH 4 years, 7 months ago

The government should implement testing for COV19 here on New Providence.I don't how it was done, but Cayman Islands purchased 200,000 testing kits from South Korea.They plan to work up to 500 tests per day.

Some of the MP'S allowances can be used to set up food banks for the less unfortunate in their areas.Some MP's have already done this.Also they should work with NGO's and other civic groups in this matter.

Also quit making these haphazard announcements.They were made without giving much lead time.This lead to that frenzied panic shopping earlier this week.

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Eve 4 years, 7 months ago

Purchase the new $20 dollar each testing unit that was just approved by the FDA. It takes 3 minutes.Test all health care workers, doctors, everyone who works in PMH. Test all the patients also. Test all your first responders. Test everyone who meets the public, supermarket workers, fast food workers, etc.

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inma 4 years, 7 months ago

This is a very good summary of how Taiwan managed the virus with incredibly successful results (only 10 min long report): So far - 5 deaths Confirmed Cases - around 350 The key seems to be: 1. Contact Tracing 2. Testing 3 PPE

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sae9AIx1w…

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SP 4 years, 7 months ago

Inviting people to share ideas is the best thing Tribune could have done!

We need to apply the same concerted focus to turning the country around. If all of us throw our ideas out, some of them will be well worth pursuing.

Great job!

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Monique242 4 years, 7 months ago

There is a need to boost the testing on the island. All hospital patients and health care workers with severe acute respiratory infections should be tested for COVID-19. A sample of patients who visited health centres or accident and emergency departments at the hospital should also be tested and by going into the hot spot communities and conduct testing. Infrared thermal camera scanning at hospital entrances and in the emergency department to recognize any persons (including visitors) with fever at first point of entry. Seek assistance to expand its testing capacity. The World Health Organization has recommended increased testing as a measure of containing the virus. Frequent street sterilization in the hot spot areas. Floor markers at cashiers and outside and supermarkets placing one-way directional signage in store aisles. Signage inside and outside food stores to remind customers of the need to maintain social distancing in lines, masks must be worn that cover nose and mouth at all times, signs about occupancy limits and request that one person needs to shop for he household. Installing temporary window panels at checkout stations to provide an additional layer of protection for cashiers and customers.

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Eve 4 years, 7 months ago

The 5 min test for Covid 19 is made by abbott and is now in use in California and Tennessee. https://fox17.com/news/local/game-chang…

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Wisdom4 4 years, 7 months ago

Thank you, for asking the public "We want your ideas" 1. Retailer/Supermarket needs to hire more "Security Officers" for employment. or government can partner with security company to help assist Retailer/Supermarket. Effort to keep some people employed. (Help with Social Distancing)

1. Retailer/Supermarket Grocery store Limited customers or shoppers to 10-25 people. Stores should open early from 6:30 am -11:00 pm. ( Security Officers can keep count of limited of people in the stores) GOAL AVOID large gathering, "SOCIAL DISTANCING. Encourage shoppers to wear face mask while shopping.

3) Retailer/Supermarket Grocery stores should make 6 ft social distancing tape line (display) where people can stand behind store check out line. (Social Distancing)

4) Retailer/Supermarket Grocery stores- Open Early "Monday" until 2 p.m. To better assist people with disability, people diabetes, cancer, caregivers, chronic medical conditions opportunity to shop. At 3 pm -11 pm stores will be re-open and limited to 10 -25 people

5)Retailer/Supermarket Grocery Store: Offer online Grocery store or call centers whereas shoppers can order items from the store. Suggestion start home grocery Delivery or shopper can pick up there Grocery orders. (Social Distancing)

6) Make gloves, masks available to employees working in Retail/Supermarkets store or other business establishment.

7) With COVID-19 many people was lay-off from work. Government should work with landlords and people with mortgage. Landlords should not be charging people with rent (6 )months grace period should be put in place. This grace period should also include light, water and other living expenses. The Government should assist the Bahamian people before it becomes a homeless issue for many Bahamians.

8) Government need to revise curfew policy. Should only be implement for short period of time. Medical establishment should not be close to the public. Instead inform the public of COVID-19 safety. When it is necessary to seek medical attention.

9) Public Safety encourage people to wear a "Mask" if they are going out in public. Keep 6 ft Social Distancing and washing of hands.

10) Limited Customers to no more 10-25 people in business establishment. Avoid "Social Gathering" that include Large Crowd of people.

11) Limited People on the Beaches. Keep 6 ft Social Distancing. Provide limited of time on public beaches.

12) Encourage other business establishment or Bahamian people to Make N-95 mask for COVID-19, face mask and produce Hand Sanitize.

13) Restaurants chains must be encourage to deliver foods or orders should be pick up.

14) Public needs to be aware Social Distancing keeping 6 ft. Use your mask in public and washing of hands. Cleaning surface.

15) Re-open of any business needs to limited the number of people allow in establishment. Hire more security officers, and deliver people to help join in the fight against COVID-19

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Wisdom4 4 years, 7 months ago

Thank you, for asking CORVID-19 Ideas.

1. Hire more "Security Officers" to work with Retailers/Supermarket Grocery store or partner with security company. To assist with Social Distancing. Limited number of shoppers 10-25 people in the Grocery stores. Stores should be open early 6:00 am -11:00 pm Make sure social distancing is 6 ft during store check-out line can be tape on the floor.

2. Retailers/Supermarket Grocery Store help with COVID-19 Social distancing can offer shoppers. Online grocery shopping can be deliver and call center to place Grocery order shoppers can pick groceries in drop off area. "Social Distancing avoid COVID-19."

3. People in the community should wear "Mask" going out into public. Employee should wear mask and gloves attending to the public.

4. Government should work with landlord during COVID-19 for those people layoff from work NOT to pay rent 4 months grace period. Government should assist with rental assistant and work with bank mortgages.

5. Revise Curfew policy. Oppressing people during a time lay-off.

6. Reserve an hour early in the week people with health problems, caregivers, cancer, diabetes can go too Retailers/Supermarket 6:00 am-2:00 pm and public can continue until 11:00 pm

7. Government should assist business or people who interested in starting make N95 mask, face mask or Hand Sanitize.

8. Restaurant chains must be encourage to offer delivery and order pick up. Social Distancing 6 ft wash hands with soap and water

9. Limited number people in stores. 6 ft social distancing. Avoid large gathering of People to stop the CORVID-19 Security offices can assist majority of stores by monitoring and limited people in stores.

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Wisdom4 4 years, 7 months ago

Hire more security officers to help Retailer/Supermarket stores. Goal is SOCIAL DISTANCING. Stores should open early 6:00 am -11:00 pm . Limited number of people to no more 10-25 people in the store. Social distancing should be 6 ft. Customers should see the 6 ft line tape to floor during check out line. Security officers can help and assist to monitor lines. join to carry out help with COVID-19. Government should work with landlords giving people who has being layoff because of COVID-19 grace period or government rent assistant.

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Wisdom4 4 years, 7 months ago

Retailer/Supermarkets help with "Social Distancing" can provide customers the opportunity to purchase groceries and goods online or place call center to take orders. These goods can be deliver by hiring more delivery drivers and warehouse help, whereas people can pick there grocery order. "Social distancing from COVID-19"

Next, idea the government can help assist business owners or individual interested in making N-95 mask, face mask and hand sanitizer to the community. Although, this is not the Bahamas industry. However, we are in the 21 century and it's time to be creative.

Also, people in the community need to wear "Mask" if going out into the public or stores. Make gloves, masks available to employees.

Restaurant chains must be encourage to keep business open by offering delivery services or order pick up. Social distancing 6 ft should be noticeable for the public to see.

Revise Curfew policy. Curfew should be short period. The penalty is unpleasantly rough on people who maybe layoff from work to pay high fine.

Social Distancing 6 ft apart. Avoid LARGE GATHERING . Limited the number 10-25 people in a stores or family gathering. Stay home if you are not working. Need to employ more security officers to help on the grounds. We need to work together.

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Islangal1 4 years, 7 months ago

Will they seriously consider listening to what the people had to say? 1. Look at models of other countries like New Zealand who have had one death recorded so far, however, it's too late for the Bahamas to carry out some of the measures they have implemented. But you can still amend your lockdown, here in UK though in lockdown, essential services like Pharmacies, Foodstores, Gas stations, Convenience stores are still open hours of operations have been adjusted to 8 am-8 pm with only a limited amount of persons allowed in stores at any given time, one family member from each household shopping. This will decrease the mad dash every time stores reopen after a lockdown. Public Parks & transports, Fastfood places, Restaurants, Takeaways, all non-essential services are CLOSED!!! All non-essential staff are working from home or are given special leave if they cannot do their work from home. Ports need to be closely monitored as there is still illegal movement of people via chartered flights and personal boats. This needs to stop!! There's also a law that says no more than 3 persons from the same household should be out at any given time. If there are 6 of you at home, no more than 3 should be out walking, shopping at the same time!

1. Educate the people instead of using scare tactics. Explain the disease, what it does, how it's spread/how to prevent it. GOOGLE is at your fingertips you can find health tips online. i.e. wash hands regularly, anything used in public should be disinfected(sprayed with Lysol or using disinfected wipes) cel phones, shoes, disposable gloves, if you don't discard after each use, was as if you're washing your hands. Education is key in this fight!! We got a text with links to take you to the National Health website with videos and guidance on how to stay safe. The government should probably do the same. The same info is constantly running between regular programming on television. You have to speak at the level the public will understand and stop tossing around medical jargon. The Minister of Education or teachers should also do their part in delivering messages to children out of school of the importance of keeping safe and why they are not able to go outside to play with friends at this time and how important it is to keep up with their studies while at home.

2. PPE should be provided to all frontline government workers, not just hospital staff but Police Officers or any officers dealing with the public. A week ago I've seen videos of police officer apprehending persons for breaking curfew, none of the officers at the time were wearing protective gear!

3. Businesses must also do their parts in curtailing the chaos. Hire additional security to enforce social distancing on the long lines. Only allow certain amount of persons in the store at a time. Protect your frontline employees and as well as screen your employees. If they are unwell urge them to stay home and seek medical attention.

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buddah17 4 years, 7 months ago

Someone needs to develope a spray similar to what forensic science uses to detect old blood at crime scenes. Then package them in small aerosol cans so that people can buy them and use them as needed. (Would have to be non toxic, and not contaminate any surfaces.. ) Also, maybe insolated gloves (and face masks?) for the first responders and health workers that have heat on the outside that could help netralize the bacterias. And "shoppers" are a no brainer. (Used in The U.S.) One would down load an app. shop and pay online (including vat and tip) and a pick up time would be displayed for the shopper to go to the store and receive their bags outside at their cars. (The app. in The U.S. has the ability to text/call the store when you are coming, AND when (and where) you are in the parking lot of the store.

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buddah17 4 years, 7 months ago

Testing is a MUST... BTW: The idea of banning the importation of non surgical face masks at this time, (to encourage local industry) is VERY unwise... Reeks of Nationalism, AND someone having the "ear" of the government and pusing their agenda.. IF these masks help, they need to be available from EVERY source, not just a few "elete" local manufacturers to take advantage of a crisis and make a lot of money... Would be courious when (and how many) local masks will be on the market after the ban goes through and the ROI (profit margins) that will be on them...

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Wisdom4 4 years, 7 months ago

Encourage the community avoid COVID-19. Encourage business owners to get involve making our hand sanitize. We need more church leaders to get involve helping those with food assistant. Government needs to give each person who was recently lay off from work extra $1000. per family. Help with expense and more.

Retailer/Supermarkets should open early in the week like (Monday) to help shopper such as chronic disease , disability, cancer, diabetes and caregivers the opportunity to shop during certain hours such 6:30 am - 3:00 pm. Public shopping should be allow through the week with longer store hours. Limited number of people 10-25 in stores. "Social Distancing and avoid large crowd of people in stores" Store owners can also limited the number of products purchase in the store such as bleach or bath tissue.

Government needs offer ways that people that has families overseas our able shipped items duty free.

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Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago

Consider:

1) Improving our relationship with the US federal government and other non-communist countries to get the supplies we so desperately need.

2) Taking steps towards re-recognizing Taiwan a/k/a ROC as the one and only China and re-establish close diplomatic ties with that country. [The US will soon be doing likewise.]

3) Treating the government of Red China like the ruthless inhumane communist regime that it is. [The US will soon once again be doing likewise.]

4) Establishing and maintaining much closer and friendlier ties with the government of the great State of Florida in Tallahassee (Governor Ron DeSantis) with a view towards partnering in the creation of stategic reserves/stockpiles of personal protective gear and other equipment in South Florida that both Florida and the Bahamas could have ready access to in times of a crisis like this. [This could be expanded to include essential hurricane relief supplies as well.]

Bottomline: The current Red China Virus crisis has shown that the Bahamas as a very small nation simply can't go it alone and we need the right good neighbourly state friends like Florida and the US to help us make it through the most difficult of times.

It's not in the interest of the Bahamas and the Bahamian people to be unnecessarily at odds or have unwarranted strained relations with either the US federal government or government of the State of Florida. Accordingly it behoves our government and all of us to avoid dealing with known bad state actors with foreign policies harmful to the long term interests of both ourselves and our good neighbours immediately to the north.

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Bahamalandlove 4 years, 7 months ago

Many useful suggestions here. Information should be disseminated by text/What's APP verified as official.

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ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago

The first thing we need to do is protect health care workers. They should be placed into three categories

1.The ones with expertise on using ventilators. And as I've said not everyone who's supposed to know "knows how". This is no time for politics. We can't lose the real experts we must protect them at all costs. The people who work on the ward know exactly who they would and wouldnt want working on their relatives.

2.Identify the ones with preexisting conditions, overweight, diabetic, asthma, elderly etc

1. Then the heathly and young who have none of the above

The experts and the ones at risk should have zero direct contact with ill patients. They should set up a remote monitoring system where the expert can review patient stats, listen to the patients lung function, have a visual of the patient to see what they are doing and then give advice to another lower risk individual physically present in the room. That monitoring location must be kept sterile like an operating theatre. A sterile command centre

Most of this should be ok, the Achilles heel would be the actual intubation which according to Dr Sands is the most dangerous procedure. The skill is in the hands so the expert may have to perform this procedure themselves. But afterwards they should be monitored consistently for any sign of infection.

There should also be a protocol set up for events where an emergency necessitates the expert enter the space with a patient.

It is really important that these experts do not get sick, if they do, who will monitor the ventilation of the hundreds of others to come?

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ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago

Another suggestion. Please can our leaders stop expressing "surprise" at the intelligence of Bahamians. Can they also put aside "They must be PLP", "what they say about us", "we only looking out for young people" and look at the good of the country? Good ideas have no colour, age, party or family association. If they had been thinking this way from 2017 we would have had products we could sell the world the minute this crisis arose. We would now be repurposing skills and creating jobs to support global products.

From the garbage man to the top executive I have been saying for a while there is nothing different in an Asian, Singaporean or Caucasian brain than a Bahamian brain.

We may speak with less proper English, we may not have formal education but our intelligence has always been there. What's been missing are Prime Ministers, Ministers, Department heads willing to put politics, personal dislikes and vendettas aside for the good of the country.

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ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago

Another suggestion: The sbdc already has hundreds of submitted ideas with business plans already fleshed out. If I were the govt, rather than telling people to make masks for a limited audience, which they were already doing anyway. I would task the sbdc to immediately bring to my attention any business plan with global potential. The ability to bring revenues into the country even in this time of crisis. Even if the plan needs slight adjustment to account fir the current environment.. You said youre getting together a panel of economists. Imagine if one little idea already at the sbdc had the review of a panel of the top minds in the country? Imagine if they got behind it to make it global? Imagine what that would do for the country?

At present the sbdc is somewhat inefficient and good ideas could be out there gathering dust for another year or longer.

For example, I hear the chamber talking about training programs and encouraging ICT and the need to "begin" the conversation. those ideas are already sitting there waiting.

OR will we be like the baker. The baker knew Joseph, he had evidence of what Joseph could do. But he forgot him as he resumed his life of privilege. Well now is the time to remember because the king needs dreamers

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alesio 4 years, 7 months ago

Firstly, i think no customer should have to touch the door of any business establishment in these times. A security officer should be the only person to touch (open/close) it. Secondly, a hand sanitizing station should be at the entrance which all customers must use before continuing on in the establishment. I have also been informed that some of the exempted companies need to be monitored and it should be made clear to them what all work is allowed to continue,as it is business as usual and even more so ,as more workers are available to them now ,they are expanding,just telling them to practice social distancing, then at the end of the work day, they pile up in buses to go home.

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CitizenBahamas 4 years, 7 months ago

Unfortunately, our lives will never be the same after this experience. We must accept that Covid19 will likely continue to be a threat for at least the next 12-18 months. Therefore, please stop the drastic measures like 5 day lockdown. The word lockdown implies that we live in a police state. As a freedom-loving, proud Bahamian, I instinctively reject this idea. No country can function under lockdown conditions. The curfew which the government first initiated was a practical, workable solution; lockdown is an extreme measure which will illicit extreme responses from the people. For the foreseeable future I suggest: •continue curfew and enforcement of social distancing rules •continue education on how to prevent the spread of Covid19 •TEST TEST TEST test every person; with our small population this is very achievable •stop the scare tactics. As a mother, I will not report if my child becomes mildly or moderately ill, as I've been told that I will not be allowed to be with my child and I have more confidence in my ability than in our out island clinic •train our police force. One officer threatened to charge a husband and wife for riding on the same motor bike (seriously???) By the way, are Bahamians aware that police are using drones as surveillance devices? •encourage healthy lifestyle changes like daily walking and subsistence farming (two things which I am currently unable to do because of this lockdown). Let's focus on the positives which can come out of this crisis •allow businesses to open (including liquor stores); utilize the alphabetical system currently in place for grocery shopping to limit the amount of people out and about. Keep restrictions on all gatherings in excess of 10 Extreme measures are a short term solution and will only delay the inevitable; when people are released, they will be desperate for human interaction and the virus will explode again. Most people have a healthy sense of self preservation and will follow rules, as long as they are reasonable. Please, be reasonable.

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Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago

ERADICATE THE WORLD'S ULTRA SUPER WEALTHY AND HIGHLY SECRETIVE CLUB OF LESS THAN 20

The 0.01% now controlling most of world's wealth have always been very concerned about the many effects of over-population on our planet's limited resources. They are frightened to death that water, food and oxygen, yes oxygen, will be in short supply in the lifetime of their children or grandchildren, if not their own remaining lifetime. With no trees on the planet there's no oxygen and one only has to look at the accelerating shrinkage of the Amazon rainforest area in recent decades.

There are very secretive meetings that take place each year in which the possible solutions to their concerns are discussed at length among the 0.01%. And I'm not talking about the relatively 'poor' wealthy that like to be seen in public each year in Davos, Switzerland and/or Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I'm talking about the ultra super wealthy whose names would never ever appear on the Forbes list of the world's top 100 billionaires. They are the global ruling group of less than 20 individuals who control an unimaginable staggering percentage of our world's total wealth and resources through highly secretive relationships that only they themselves know about. The governments of all nations are answerable to and controlled by the extraordinarily powerful representatives of this small ruling group of individuals, no matter what type of government or ideology they may portray to their citizenry.

Covid-19 was bio-engineered as an evil experiment in population containment and control, and its effects on human behavior. It's only the beginning. The greatest mistake the human species ever made was allowing such a very small group of individuals to amass an unimaginable and incredible portion of the world's total wealth and resources for themselves, quite literally giving them full control over the entire human species. They have the ability to cull the world's population from time to time as they sees fit; this time shortening mainly the lives of the weakest of the more elderly among us. Sadly it's a new age where the very privileged small ruling group will determine the reasoning behind who gets to live and who must die. And "No", this is not about conspiracy theories but rather reality. The writing has been all over the wall the past two decades.

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johnd 4 years, 7 months ago

first i would encourage the government to do what ever it takes to enter the wto right now because if we dont we are dead in the water next we need to stop aligning our currency with the american dollar it is passed time to devalue our dollar to compete with every other caribbean country this will encourage our tourism to double we are the closet caribbean country to america but jamaica puerto rico and the dominican republic get more us s tourist jamaica gets almost 2.7 million a year we get 1.1 million jamaica is opened year round but bahamians need to take a 3 month vacation here also why do we take the american dollar as currency the americans don't take ours its time to start making all tourist exchange there currency for ours its time we made money from the exchange rate every other country dose especially the u.s also its time to increase all port charges to the cruise lines believe me no one is going to take a 7 day cruise anymore in the near future never again will anyone be stuck hostage on a cruise ship and getting to the bahamas takes one day and if this virus or any other virus comes back people can get home much easier from here lets get our economy on a fast track especially since we depend so much on tourism

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g9822033 4 years, 7 months ago

Retailers can eliminate queues by using a queue management app

There's a bunch of them e.g. www.qless.com but just google Queue Management and there's a bunch of options

By using virtual queues we reduce risk of exposure further

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Player600 4 years, 7 months ago

While we are all locked in our houses this government is promoting health and staying active during this time. For those of us who are very active an used to going to the gym, you did not even give us the opportunity to purchase and items to continue that healthy lifestyle at home. In my opinion, the Sports Center should have been allowed as an essential service for those of us who wished to purchase weights and exercise equipment during this time. I will still exercise, but sadly this might contribute to further health issues as people cannot get the normal exercises that they are used to.

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buddah17 4 years, 7 months ago

How about developing some type of lenses to go on glasses/shades that will identify Virisus in the air via a glow or some other marker. (At least one can tell where the germs are around them.

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ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago

what's making money in a pandemic? 1. Food+Tech 2.Tech 3.Medical supplies +Tech 4.Training/Education +Tech 5.Fitness+Tech

tech tech tech

check the sbdc for full blown ideas in those areas

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shonkai 4 years, 7 months ago

So who can go shopping tomorrow? Anybody knows for certain?

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professionalbahamian 4 years, 7 months ago

There are community spread cases - self imposed lockdown and massive testing and detailed Unending tracing of cases would be needed to control the spread. Rapid testing like:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics…

The top US immunologist quoted in the New England Journal of medicine [ Covid-19 — Navigating the Uncharted List of authors. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., H. Clifford Lane, M.D., and Robert R. Redfield, M.D. March 26, 2020 N Engl J Med 2020; 382:1268-1269 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2002387]: “ If one assumes that the number of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic cases is several times as high as the number of reported cases, the case fatality rate may be considerably less than 1%. This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza ...”

Perhaps- Don’t allow people to lose their livelihoods and not have housing when this is over- some need food now or next week. If the medical supplies and hospitals are prepared for it- voluntary quarantine everyone for three weeks with a simultaneous massive testing effort and then open back up with masks and gloves?

Otherwise plan for 12 more months and no economy at the end of it. (Trust free nations only for help and partnerships moving forward until patient zero is confirmed)

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professionalbahamian 4 years, 7 months ago

Other testing to reopen travel if saliva testing not proven:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/emir…

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Revolutionary 4 years, 7 months ago

1) Deliver as much as possible. Why: This keeps more people in their home and prevent large gatherings at grocery stores etc. How: An online catalog of what's available at each store (as easy as updating a Facebook page) and a few drivers. A National Delivery system where a few drivers do a lot of deliveries would be optimal rather than several different separate delivery drivers each doing a few runs.

2) Free Internet Why: The internet has become a necessary utility to stay up to date on information and in contact with dependent loved ones we can no longer visit. Although it will cost money, it's also our only hope of economic recovery (discussed further in #3). How: Outside of corporate generosity or government borrowing, we can hold Alphabet (google's parent company) accountable for their satellite crashing in San Salvador by asking the Loon Balloon internet project to include Bahamians they almost killed.

3) Incentivize Computer Work Why: This is the only economic growth the country will see, and we need dollars coming into the country now more than ever. How: Free online classes are already available, and pairing Bahamians looking for work with these resources could be the difference between someone needing money and someone making money. Government should work with UB, BTVI, and other educational/vocational organizations to gather and distribute quality, up to date educational materials on e-commerce business strategies (tutoring online, buying/selling items, creating content, programming, etc).

If you have improvements or suggestions for any of these ideas, please reply!

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Worried 4 years, 7 months ago

Construction sites should reopen. Most of this work is outdoor work.

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Liberal 4 years, 6 months ago

It is most important that the Bahamas avoids the mistakes others have made. Singapore has for the most part been a model that the Bahamas would do well to follow in general, but recently it has seen a surge in cases. This has been attributed to covid-19 being harboured in groups of migrant workers who live in cramped conditions and have been unable to practice "social distancing". (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronaviru…) The Bahamas may well have a similar problem with its Shanty towns and similar settlements. Unless this is addressed in a pragmatic manner covid-19 cannot be eliminated, or even controlled. The problem in Singapore seems to be mainly confined to legal migrants, but that is probably not the case in the Bahamas. Part of the problem is that "illegal immigrants" or "undocumented aliens" are afraid to interact with authorities, even health workers, for fear of deportation. The Bahamas must give such people reassurance that seeking help will not adversely affect them. Portugal has been very pragmatic in granting temporary citizenship rights to asylum seekers and similar. (https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/p…) The Bahamas needs to do something similar in order to rid itself of the scourge of covid-19. I would suggest granting temporary or even permanent residence to all "illegal" residents presently in the country, and who request it. This would not be politically popular, but is a necessary step if the virus is to be defeated. By the same token, refusing unemployment benefit to foreign workers who have been laid off is counterproductive and short-sighted (and, as at least one lawyer pointed out, probably illegal) since it makes social distancing much more difficult. It may also force them into illegal activities to feed themselves, especially as most of them have no way of returning home. In addition a place has to be found for homeless people, which should not be impossible since most hotels are closed. My wife often used to feed them, but now that is impossible, so how are they eating? They too could be harbouring the virus.

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