The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

BISHOP Walter Hanchell thanked Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for his “graceful decision” to adjust the strict seven-day lockdown imposed on New Providence but called on the nation’s leader to address evictions and job losses brought on by the pandemic and to release an economic recovery plan for the nation.

Dr Minnis’ change of heart was announced hours after Bishop Hanchell, of Great Commission Ministries, and others spoke out against the shock move, saying it left many people desperate for food and other essentials.

“On behalf of the members of Citizens for Justice and the Bahamian community at large, I would like to thank the Most Honourable Prime Minister for his graceful decision to change the COVID-19 lockdown order for New Providence,” Bishop Hanchell said.

“We are grateful, sir, for your quick response in listening to the cries of our people, in particular those who are most vulnerable among us.

“Moving forward, we would be grateful for you to be aware of the pain so many families are enduring, as a result of the pandemic.

“The concerns remain adequate housing accomodations and food and opportunity to work again. Bills have piled up and many families have either been evicted or facing eviction. We plead with your government to provide a rental assistance programme for tenants so that landlords who have been unable to collect rent for the past five months may get some assistance to cover their bills.

“Furthermore, sir, we appeal to you to please provide an economic recovery plan for the nation. We look forward to this in due course. COVID-19 is not a political problem. It is a social problem with grave econmic and health concerns that has created a crisis for the Bahamian people. We can defeat this together and with the help of Almighty God.”

Yesterday morning, Bishop Hanchell said he sent an email to Dr Minnis asking him to open New Providence up so people can get food and other necessities, saying the lack of notice on the lockdown left many unprepared.

“A lot of people called us who were stuck with no food in their houses with no food for them nor their children,” Bishop Hanchell said earlier yesterday. “They had no warning and it’s very disheartening. We are out delivering food right now as I speak. We already had permission. We do this every day.

“I haven’t checked yet to see if the prime minister responded to my email, but I asked him to open up the country so the people can get food and other items that they need. I feel he will respond positively because the people are really suffering and hurting. The lockdown came as a surprise and shock … no warning and no notice. There were people who came home from work yesterday (Monday) late, who didn’t have a chance to go to the food store.”

As he canvassed the community delivering food, many people thanked the bishop for the rations. Bishop Hanchell acknowledged the country’s national food programme, but he feels some of the money spent on it could go in a different direction.

“I heard the prime minister saying that the food programme is costing the government $1 million a week,” Bishop Hanchell continued. “Well I think the government needs to use half of that and put it into rental assistance because there are a whole lot of people out there being evicted because they cannot pay their rent.

“Landlords have bills too and some of them have not received rent from their tenants in up to five months and have to put them out.”

Dr Minnis has said the National Food Distribution Programme is one of the largest and most unprecedented programmes in the country’s history. He said it is one of the largest ever public/private social care initiatives in the history of The Bahamas, utilising a caring network of faith-based institutions and NGOs.

To register for the national food distribution program, log on to www.rapidbahamas.com.