Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the strongest restrictions yet for New Providence during a national address on Monday night in response to the deepening COVID-19 crisis.
His announcement of a week-long lockdown with immediate effect came as the country recorded one additional COVID-19 death and saw 14 newly confirmed cases, all in New Providence.
Nineteen people have now died from COVID-19 in the country. The country has 1,329 cases overall, 731 of which are in New Providence.
The new restrictions will see almost all commercial activity in New Providence come to a halt as Dr Minnis lamented the failure of some to adhere to previous restrictions. Food stores and private pharmacies will be closed during this period, unlike other lockdowns when these businesses were allowed to operate.
“Too many are not taking the current lockdown and health measures seriously,” he said. "Some people are gathering in groups in their neighbourhoods. Some are going out where unnecessary. Some are not following health guidelines when out in public. Some are going out visiting friends and families and some have booked themselves in hotels and having the time of their lives. Some people are having social parties. The virus is spreading rapidly because of the failure of many to adhere to life-saving and preventative measures.”
Dr Minnis said if the shutdown does not happen, it will “take a very long time to bring the virus under control.”
“The sooner we bring the virus under control, the shorter the time will be to return to few restrictive measures,” he said.
He added that anyone found on the streets without a valid reason during the seven-day lockdown will be fined.
"The Royal Bahamas Police Force will check all vehicles to determine where people are headed and to confirm that these individuals contacted the Royal Bahamas Police Force emergency contact number for approval to be on the streets. This includes all government red plate vehicles.”
After seven days, health officials will make a recommendation on whether the shutdown should continue.
Dr Minnis said beginning immediately, public offices will be closed except for essential staff. Public officers must work remotely except for those identified in the Emergency Powers Order as essential or identified as such by permanent secretaries of ministries.
Other essential services that will remain open include any hospital, any public medical facility, any public pharmacy, any private medical facility for emergencies, the Public Hospitals Authority and its agencies, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Customs Department, the Department of Immigration, the Department of Correctional Services, Department of Environmental Health, waste disposal and sanitation companies, the Bahamas Civil Aviation Department, utility corporations for emergency and critical services and the National Food and Distribution task force.
Hotels will be permitted to operate with essential staff, the names of which must be given to police.
Essential media personnel are also allowed to operate but must contact police at 311 when required to leave their homes.
Dr Minnis said construction is allowed and financial institution workers who must conduct urgent transactions within their institution may contact 311 for permission to travel to and from their offices.
International shipping, including freight forwarders and domestic freight, is permitted but goods and supplies must be stored during the lockdown period.
“If approval is necessary for business to collect such items, businesses must contact 311 for permission,” Dr Minnis said. “All other business and commercial activities will be closed and will be required to work remotely.”
The prime minister said the National Food and Distribution Task Force will be allowed to distribute food in various zones on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as previously scheduled but people must contact their respective zone leaders with questions.
He said police will have a list of zones with all the registrants of the programme and will be checking vehicles to ensure that only one representative per household goes to a distribution centre.
People who shelter or take care of farm animals will be free to do so but must contact the police.
Subsistence fishing, he said, is not allowed.
While graveside funerals that were previously scheduled are allowed, weddings are not permitted.
Churches are allowed to livestream from their premises on Saturdays and Sundays with a maximum of ten people who must reach out to police before leaving their homes.
Dr Minnis said people can exercise in their immediate neighbourhoods from 5am to 8am.
Diplomatic missions will be allowed to open, he said, but nationals of respective countries who need services and students that need visas will be required to contact police.
He also said international flights or vessels will not be permitted to enter New Providence except in exceptional and urgent circumstances sanctioned by either the director of civil aviation or the chairperson of the Bahamas Maritime Authority.
“There will be no travel domestically between New Providence and other islands except for freight and for emergencies,” Dr Minnis said.
“I know this lockdown is a sacrifice and hardship for many Bahamians and residents, but it will assist in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and getting our life and economy back to normal,” he said.
Grand Bahama, which has been under a lockdown for nearly three weeks, will have that island’s current restrictions remain in place for another seven days, commencing Tuesday, Dr Minnis said.
Dr Minnis announced a “two week minimum” lockdown on August 3, saying at the time it may be extended based on the circumstances. Some islands have since seen these restrictions lifted, such as Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay and Ragged Island.
The new lockdown is set to expire at 5am, August 25.
Comments
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 2 months ago
Yep, just like I called it a few hours ago, the cure is officially worse than the disease! Repost: We'll be sitting ducks if the idiot PM decides to close down food stores and other essential businesses for the next 2 weeks, only the most selfish, nasty, and idiotic "leader" would do something so inhumane..sadly for us, Minnis fits that description!
Minnis has to GO immediately, what "leader" shuts down food stores and pharmacies during a PANDEMIC for an entire week (WITH NO NOTICE) allowing "HIS" people to starve, majority of Nassau is unemployed and haven't gotten a chance to go shopping for the week, this man is a FULL BLOWN DICTATOR!!! Food and water are a NECESSITY and we aren't even allowed to buy any! #ItsThePeople'sTime
CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE MINNIS HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED!!!
ohdrap4 4 years, 2 months ago
We had notice tho. On Friday morning, when Dr. Brennen spoke to the media about people on the road. That was the notice.
Then I heard Juan McCartney and I panicked. So I went out after 2pm to get water and food for 2 weeks.
People told me I was crazy. That there was no way they would follow through with it.
Someone already called me to ask if I have a bottle of water to spare. I do, but neither I nor they can move.
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 2 months ago
Notified or not, the most important part is that majority of the population has been unemployed for the last 5-6 months! Preventing your citizens from getting food and water from the stores is inhumane and it's the lowest one can get! Minnis MUST resign!
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
Dr Brenen said Friday morning that the Pm would make buying water and food illegal for a week? Strange I missed that.
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 2 months ago
Even if he did say that (I certainly didn't hear such), what about the essential workers who worked non-stop, they wouldn't have any time to prepare for seven days without food and water!
joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago
... the seeds of rebellion are being sown.
Some people have not worked for almost five months. You then close down the country 8 pm at night before many working people have had a chance to get to the grocery store, denying citizens access to food and water while threatening them with arrest and fines?? Not smart at all.
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 2 months ago
The only thing the idiotic PN knows is "LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN" he has shown time and time again that he has no plan moving forward!
Peak of Hurricane season approaching and you and ya family ain't got no water in da fridge!
tell_it_like_it_is 4 years, 2 months ago
Exactly, no time to prepare!! It's complete stupidity at the highest level!!!
DaGravyMachine 4 years, 2 months ago
Dictator Minnis is in FULL EFFECT, This country is finished
What lunatic locks down the entire country without any notice? Only the most nasty and selfish Idiot Minnis would do something this dumb, the only thing his peanut sized brain knows how to do is lockdown the country like a buffoon, WE ARE DOOMED
DaGravyMachine 4 years, 2 months ago
THIS COUNTRY IS FINISHED
MINNS HAS DOOMED US ALL
No food or water for the Bahamian people for an entire WEEK , MINNIS HAS SHOWN HIS TRUE COLORS, DICTATOR MINNIS IS IN FULL EFFECT
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
It is kind of odd to shut down food stores. The coordinator of the food distribution program said they're ONLY helping the most vulnerable. So if you waited for the lines to die down, you now find yourself in a position where you can pay for food but you can't get any and the food distribution program says we can't help you we have to help the 23 year old mother with 5 kids who not working (and they should help her). I don't know. I suspect they had to lockdown but there must be a better way
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
I bet Dr. Minnis and friends have their supply.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
i bet they get the good icecream too
tell_it_like_it_is 4 years, 2 months ago
Certainly there is a better way. Even when the Grand Bahama lockdown started, they were given 2 days notice.
So how in the world New Providence get 0 days notice??? What, are we the dogs of Nassau??... that we can't be treated with a modicum of decency???
UN 4 years, 2 months ago
Hopefully people aren’t delusional enough to expect their secret ‘royal’ slave to show love and understanding. The only thing I would understand is receiving funds I’m entitled to, so that I can finally get away from uncivilized, babbling lunatics. If my parents were alive, I would encourage them to stay home (no work, no going anywhere), but I’m by myself (a ‘Princess‘ with bills to pay) - sadistic strangers have taken advantage of that for nearly eight long years. Noah, Sodom & Gomorrah (Genesis 19 5: ‘bring them out, so that we may know them’ - people have been ‘knowing me’ for possibly even longer than I realize). Yes, no doubt in my mind God created this pandemic to teach the evil m-asses a lesson (also a reminder that he’s still in control).
ohdrap4 4 years, 2 months ago
Lockdown Stress Disorder?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
huh?
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
As a JP who specializes in small funerals, and has a side job building houses with a consulting business as a part-time transaction specialist and early morning exerciser I see that I am immune from Covid..
I don't know what everyone is complaining about.
I'm donating my blood for science in exchange for groceries and cement this week.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
lol. IF you was donating food to your neighbours in your spare time you "might" be immune. but alas....I suggest once you finish those emergency financial transactions at the office and close down the hand controlled cement mixer, you head right back home close the windows and doors and put on yuh tin foil hat on.
truetruebahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
Please donate minnis's brain for scientific discovery of what occurs in empty space..
Chucky 4 years, 2 months ago
Government soon be overthrown.
You watch, people gonna rise up.
Can lockdown and starve people.
Dictator soon Find out what populous does when he push too far.
Takenid 4 years, 2 months ago
Ironic only place to legally get food is to line up for a government handout. How Orwellian!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
But you can't just walk there and get food. You have to sign up for it. The registration form is lengthy then they select who gets good. If your story is I live in westridge, this week was hectic, I was working 6-7 all week and couldn't get to the foodstore I don't have bottled water and I just have a couple cans of tuna, you're not getting food. Drink from the tap.
I'm sincerely baffled how they settled on this idea. I understand why they would have had the thought. Alot of people will starve this week. Even the people who've already registered and are in most vulnerable category complain about not being able to get food.
I think the problem is everyone sitting around the table is well fed. It's natural that they don't think about the variety of struggles of the people outside the room. They have transportation, if their car needs to be serviced or they need a car part, they can walk to the PMs office and ask for It, Rick Lowe said so just this week, he got personal calls for car parts and went in to get them. It made sense, if the truck delivering food need a part.... What didn't make sense is why the decision makers hadn't thought about it. (Mr Lowe I've seen you comment in this section, how can essential workers get parts?)
The people around the table also had forewarning so everyone was probably given time off from the office to go and prepare.
When will we get a govt that sees the people as equals and not cattle to be beaten and fed scraps? Maybe never
Kuffriddims 4 years, 2 months ago
This is most insane man. My money in the Bank doesn't clear until two business working days. Which happens to be tomorrow. I've already promised the Landlord that I would pay him. I had plans to get a few grocery items etc. This man is beyond blanked minded and peanut shell brains. We are not animal's man..... This man is mad as in "crazy". I am jobless with two kids and bills over my head. This man has to be Pharaoh from the Bible.....Police are his Soldiers. "Let God's People go ".
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
You know the weird thing is he's reacting to old data. They're not processing an even number of samples per day and they have a backlog. It's like slamming the door after the bug get in. "bug" lol. you reacted late, hurt your ear drums probably your wrist too, almost smash your toe, now you have to spend an extended time chasing the bug around the room. and you pribably didn't see it fly out the window either, you too busy turning the room upside down trying to find it
Likewise this is excessive punishment and over compensation for their poor decision to open the border and lack of action after it was opened
immigrant 4 years, 2 months ago
How many people were murdered in the same time frame last year? Too bad he didn’t deal with crime as strictly as he seems to be dealing with a virus. Virus-99.6% survival rate. Murder-0.0% survival rate.
Proguing 4 years, 2 months ago
Nobody is picking up the phone at 311
DDK 4 years, 2 months ago
Did you really expect anyone to answer?😂🤣😂
hj 4 years, 2 months ago
This is insane There are people with babies,disabled persons,sick persons in their families. How do you expect them to live without food,water and medicine? Accept responsibilities for your mistakes,and stop this madness. As soon as essential stores are open people will rush and form long lines again,and the cases will rise. You can not even rely on your data because you can not even get the results on time. Do you think everyone has money to stock up in supplies for 1 or 2 weeks? Where do you live? Lockdowns will get the numbers down only temporarily because you have no idea how to deal with the situation
DDK 4 years, 2 months ago
Can We The People, whose time it is, COMMIT The PM to Life as a guest of Sandilands or is that facility under lock-down too??
Baha10 4 years, 2 months ago
Construction (non-essential) “ok” ... Food Stores (essential to Life or Death) “not”?!?
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
Logic.
Wisdom4 4 years, 2 months ago
According to CNBC article, "The United Kingdom, the fourth subject of our series, has confirmed more than 290,000 cases and more than 45,000 deaths. That makes it one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe. The country has started to open up, and people are still expected to wear masks in crowded areas like the underground and inside shops. Schools have begun a phased re-opening, and restrictions have lifted on pubs, restaurants and museums"
Compare these numbers to the Bahamas CORVID-19 cases. What do you think? The world is watching how leadership is handling this virus and dealing with people in the community.
Now! people have lost "SOCIAL FREEDOM" food stores, private pharmacies, and local business "CLOSE" due to lock down restrictions. People will NOT have NO FOOD, WATER or MEDICATION these things are very important. Think about people who have pre-medical conditions and working class family of 3 or more people.
How much food is given out from national food to people? Is it enough to live on with a growing family. This is a Chaos ! Think about it creating social gathering "FLOCKING people together with long lines" THIS WILL NOT BE SOCIAL DISTANCE.
My concern, is telling people "if the shut down does not happen, it will take long time to bring the virus under control" This is absurd and ridiculous statement. Question:
How can you control this VIRUS if other nations around the world is face with the same problem?
Right Now, Nations understand they have to get people back into the workforce and jump start the economy crisis.
Other countries are reducing the spread by following health guidelines, increasing test measures, hiring contract tracing, hiring more hospital staff, equipping the hospitals with more ICU beds, and volunteers.
I see unjust of prolong cruelty of suffering being done to the Bahamian people. Today the existing communist states in the world are in China. This type of cruelty is played out in there country whereas people "SOCIAL FREEDOM" and FREEDOM of Choice does not matter.
Until there is a Cure for this CORVID-19 virus. Nobody is completely safe. The survival rate depends on the society to make healthy choices. We have to find a better way to live with CORVID-19 without oppressing the people. It is time for us to live! and work together.
alfalfa 4 years, 2 months ago
Lol!! I am obeying all his laws, and he locked me down, instead of locking the law breakers up. What a travesty of justice this is. Get ready for real chaos when the food stores and water depots open, for those of us who live till then.
watcher 4 years, 2 months ago
Guess this is the best time for our nation's few remaining tobacco users to kick their habit. Always look on the bright side of life.
Entrepreneur 4 years, 2 months ago
Doing this with no notice was a significant mistake.
Action also needs to be taken to avoid crating the lines.
But we must all do all we can to stop transmission too.
So act as if the person next to you has it.
242in404 4 years, 2 months ago
Other countries have done this. You want to become Florida, eh? Florida but with a 3rd world healthcare system. None of this benefits the Prime Minister in any way. He is doing what must be done. He wrong for opening up, he wrong for closing. All ya do is complain.
Clamshell 4 years, 2 months ago
New York City months ago was the worst Covid hot spot on the planet. They took drastic measures, but they never shut down the grocery stores. Their numbers now are very good. Solution: People just need to act responsibly— which is not always possible in a nation with such a high quotient of ignorant knuckleheads.
hj 4 years, 2 months ago
That is why you have law enforcement don't you. A doctor on the radio was saying that many people were having parties, yet nobody explained how come the police did not show up. So what is the police's job? Taking food to the "inmates" 2 plates at a time? NIB lines were stretching last week. Why protocols were not enforced. So just because you can not enforce the law,you punish everyone.
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
Other countries have without noticed stopped people from acquiring essentials? Even Wuhan allowed delivery during its most draconian days
242in404 4 years, 2 months ago
In the current climate, if you let your household run on empty because you figure you can go to the food store any time, you made your bed to lie in. From time, people been advised to stock up so they are not out and about in food stores etc every other day to decrease risk of exposure. But no, people just be in and out of those places because they can, well now they can’t and maybe they will learn a ting. Plus, it hurricane season, you should already have some type of small stash of supplies for that.
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
Maybe all essential workers keep their cars full of gas. Maybe everyone out there being asked to go out can fix their own cars or manufacture their own car parts.
The govt cant plan their own 311 call center for a lockdown they planned for and expects persons to plan for a lockdown they don't?
Even the ordinary person who stocks up will run out of certain items faster than others. There are items here and there that you need that occasionally step out and get. Not to a big supermarket but the little mom and pop.
Also, not everyone goes to the supermarket. Many order groceries or go to a little store. Even this is banned. There are those who may be working but are paycheck to paycheck and can only stock up a bit. Those people will still need some items.
So not everyone who is disadvantaged is in and out "every other day". There are shops with no one in them near a persons house and they may have planned on grabbing some things on their way home to supplement what they had. Many are persons doing the right thing, staying at home ordering where they can, grabbing a few things when they are out, and they are stuck as well.
So here is what is going to happen. Unless something changes, when food stores open up there will be massive lines of people buying groceries who were low and persons stocking up to avoid getting left out in case they do this again.
COVID-19 will send its regards.
joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago
@242in404... ah, a Bahamian in Atlanta. Maybe you are not aware that there are people who have not worked for five months and many have no electricity, so there is nowhere to store perishables!! Some people need to visit the store more than once weekly!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
You joking right? Do you know how many people live pay cheque to pay cheque? The people at the fast food places for example working reduced shifts. Reduced shifts means reduced pay from the minimum wage they was already getting. Sure slam them for not earning A's in school. But they hungry now. And guess what when they work they can eat. I know I would not want to live in a nation where the majority of the people don't have access to food. No gate or security guard would protect you. People who speak from these high perches I have my fridge stocked for 2 weeks have no idea the boiling power keg all of us are sitting in. National insurance say they run out of money in September. You see the people on those lines? No more cheques for them.
EricC 4 years, 2 months ago
Even a hurricane gives you time to prepare!
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
This incompetent, corrupt, nasty, arrogant and most vindictive SOB is very deliberately agitating the public to become rebellious. What Minnis is doing is by design. He actually wants a rebellion of the less fortunate masses accompanied by escalating crime and violence, and eventually rioting and looting. This would enable him to justify completely do away with our Constitution, our parliamentary democracy and all of our civil rights and liberties forevermore, thereby setting himself up to be our supreme ruler for the remainder of his lifetime.
In his power crazed delusional mind he has actually deceived himself into thinking he is our only saviour which is a serious mental affliction commonly referred to as 'the God-like complex'. And make no mistake about it, Minnis is most unstable and dangerous in this mental state.
Minnis is an evil monster on a power trip like no other. Only the world's worst dictators are able to justify, without any due notice whatsoever, depriving people of food, bottled water and even vital medicines, e.g. milk, food and medicines for babies, insulin for insulin dependent diabetics, etc. And Minnis would not be doing this without the backing of the very sinister Communist Party of China (CCP) led by the equally evil Xi Jinping.
I suspect by now Xi Jinping has ensured Minnis's police force and defense force have been adequately supplied with protective riot gear, tear gas and munitions sufficient to contain the uprisings that he himself is now very deliberately instigating. The vast majority of Bahamians will soon be living a most miserable existence in a police state created by Minnis with Communist China support and many who speak out are going to end up imprisoned under the most horrible of conditions. This is the road Pindling and the PLP party put us on, Christie and Ingraham kept us on, and Minnis is hell bent taking his coup d' état to its logical conclusion.
And with Davis in hospital, Minnis is wasting no time in striking while the iron is hot. Minnis is much sicker than Davis right now.....most sick in the head!
benniesun 4 years, 2 months ago
Great observation.... Should there be an insurrection or massive protests, then just like Haiti, the UN very likely will intervene with foreign troops. And most likely they will be from China. The PM said that we will be living with this virus for a long time - IMHO opinion it is fine that there is vast community spread coz now we all should have herd immunity - or is it that the vaccine agenda has made herd immunity defunct?
truetruebahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
The twat just wants an excuse to use his chinese battle tank!
trueBahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
To announce a lockdown at 8pm with immediate effect when the foodstores closed at 7pm is without conscience. There would be a multitude of our brothers and sisters who were caught unprepared. There is a real risk that people will starve. People may not have water. Some persons who are medicated may not have medication on hand. As a doctor, he knows better than anyone that some medication means life or death for some people. This is a grave situation. His leadership, or lack there of, is not what we need in these times of crisis. A man from humble beginnings forgot that the humble among us may very well die, not from Covid-19, but from poor leadership.
He has instructed the police to enforce this lockdown. They are essentially enforcing the violation of the very basic rights of our people. I don't fault the police, as they have to follow orders, but I hope they approach their task from a position of compassion. We are all brothers a d sisters in this struggle. Our leaders are lost in the delusions of their power. We must rise up, let.our voices be heard and take back our rights.
licks2 4 years, 2 months ago
i am mostly critical about dumb talking on this site. . .am still will do so. . .but this time, I can't do so when our PM has done such an barbaric and inhuman violations of basic human rights!!! Mr. PM you appear to be unfeeling, barbaric and violates the basic rights of human existence!!
YOUR BAHAMIAN HUMANS!! I nor anyone for or against you and your government can support your barbaric decision to lock down without REQUIRED STOCKING FOR THE LOCK DOWN!!! People around here I am not abandoning my critical nature. . .BUT THIS DECISION BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHAT DOES THIS PM THINKS WE ARE???? Can he feel us?? I am at a serious lost here! I am seriously hurt and insulted for my country. . .our PM is treating us like we don't matter!! Unless he hurriedly reverse this barbaric and so inhuman violation of my peoples basic human rights, he will not be able to ask people to support him in the future!! HIS DECISION SHOWS THAT "HEEN ON WE RUN"! Right now I feel that he don't give a damn about us at all!! Don't get me wrong here, everybody I know who are not in the PM's circle of friends, ARE ROYALLY PISSED AND INSULTED IN THIS NATION!!!
If any of yinna around here are FNM persons. . .tell ya party peoples them that yinna must get Dr. Minnis to reverse this grossly demeaning and inhuman violations of this nations basic human rights for two days for us to prepare for the lock down. . .(we believe that the lock down is needed) . . .because right now HE IS SEEN AS A DAMN BARBARIC INSENSITIVE AND POWER HUNGRY DESPOT!! He needs to reverse this nonsense or this will be his "Perry Christie middle finger" moment! A word to the wise is sufficient!!
thps 4 years, 2 months ago
You are right. There are just ways to do things and this is not one of them.
He would have persons on board with him had he allowed for those to get prepared. Persons would have been more willing to ride it out.
Now we get news of this group or the other with a pass. It undermines the message and breeds suspicion.
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