Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis delivers his address on Sunday night.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the closure of schools starting today until April 14 and expanding travel restrictions for foreigners in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Dr Minnis also cautioned Bahamians against non-essential travel overseas. His comments came during a sombre national address last night that happened hours after health officials revealed a 61-year-old New Providence woman tested positive for COVID-19, the first confirmed case in the country.
Dr Minnis said foreign nationals who have travelled in the last 20 days from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe will be prevented from entering this country, joining foreign nationals from Italy, South Korea, Iran and China whose travel here had been restricted earlier. Returning residents from restricted countries, he said, will be quarantined or placed in self-isolation upon arrival.
He said: “Non-essential travel by Bahamian nationals and residents and other countries is highly discouraged. Let me repeat this: If you do not need to travel overseas at this time, I highly urge you to remain at home.”
Dr Minnis said permits for public open spaces have been suspended and all national sporting events will be postponed until further notice. Experts recommend social distancing, as well as frequent hand washing, to deter the spread of the virus.
He said the coronavirus, which has spurred a global crisis, will have “tremendous and widespread economic impact” on the country.
Noting tourism accounts for about 50 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and just under 50 percent of direct employment, he said: “No sector is more at risk than travel. The crisis will have tremendous and widespread economic impact.”
He said he will consult major businesses for their input on a national response to the crisis this week, adding Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest will address the economic and fiscal aspects of the crisis in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
“We have conducted training for healthcare providers on proper screening, use of protective equipment and COVID-19 protocols and secured adequate supplies of hand sanitisers, cleaning supplies and protective equipment,” Dr Minnis said.
Doctors Hospital on Blake Road will be used to treat people who test positive for COVID-19 and will be secured by defence force officers. Visitors, Dr Minnis said, will not be allowed into the facility unless authorised. He said another facility for quarantine purposes is being secured.
The prime minister warned people to trust reliable news sources and avoid fake news amid the pandemic. He urged shoppers not to panic buy, adding law enforcement will be beefed up to maintain law and order.
“This crisis is deeply worrying and many are understandably anxious and afraid,” he said. “But out of control fear will not help in this time of crisis. There will be adequate food at food stores. There is no need for panic-buying. We are also going to enhance national security measures in order to maintain necessary law and order. There is a large amount of fake news being created by people who want to scare you. Ignore them and stay informed via certified organisations and trusted and responsible news sources. When people forward you material and you do not know who created it and it has no author, that is likely fake news. Fake news will have you panicked with information that is false.”
He also urged political leaders to work together, saying he has already consulted Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis on the crisis.
“I pledge to keep the leader of the opposition informed of the government’s response,” he said. “And I hope that if he has ideas he would share them with me so they can be presented in our policy discussions. This is not a time for partisanship. We must work to save lives. We must work to keep people healthy. We must work to preserve our economy.
“Bahamians do not want to see their leaders attacking each other in a crisis. . .If we all try to fix the gaps, if we all try to come up with strategies to limit community spread, if we all focus on the health of our people, we will do better during this crisis.”
Up to press time last night, 162,687 people had been confirmed to have the coronavirus worldwide. There have been 6,065 deaths and 75,620 people have recovered from the disease.
If you think you are experiencing symptoms and need to visit a clinic or doctor’s office, call before you go so as not to put others at risk of becoming infected, health officials advise. Persons can also call the Ministry of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 376-9350 between the hours of 8am and 8pm and 376-9387 between 8pm and 8am.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 9 months ago
Repost:
This latest announcement by Minnis is a classic example of his most distinguishing trait as a grossly incompetent leader - he's always doing much too little much too late when it comes to the interests of the Bahamian people. And this is sadly because Minnis tends to put his own personal interests, that are tied to the interests of his foreign investor friends, especially the cruise ship companies, ahead of the health and safety of Bahamian citizens and residents of The Bahamas. And of course, he's only too quick to now say this is not the time to cast negative remarks his way about his earlier failings in properly addressing this life-threatening crisis on a timely basis.
Many of the drastic protective measures only now being announced by Minnis should have been taken by the Minnis-led FNM government at least a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, some of the more important measures could and should have been taken a month or so ago as a matter of great urgency. One only has to look at my many warning comments posted to this website over the past 6 weeks. I fear many lives, mainly among those who are the most vulnerable in our society, will be lost in the coming weeks as a result of Minnis's failure to recognize the urgent need for aggressive containment measures to have been taken weeks ago.
Minnis says the food stores will remain stocked but I believe Rupert Roberts of SuperValue is already on record as saying his warehouse stocks are limited and may not be easily replenishable. And I'm sure that because Minnis has told so many untruths and broken so many promises since May 2017, the public is much more inclined to believe Rupert Roberts. Brace yourselves fellow Bahamians!
newcitizen 4 years, 9 months ago
During a time of crisis, it's always good to have naysayers offering no help at all. Save your criticisms for when we get through the other side.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 9 months ago
splattered at the bottom of the valley? I see many people criticizing Trumps bungling of the crisis. And they happen to be right. Should they stop identifying mistakes and let him do whatever he wants? A better argument would be ~this is an excellent plan and if executed properly we believe it will lead to the best outcome. Telling people to shut up and be quiet is what they do in dictatorships.
geostorm 4 years, 9 months ago
@newcitizen, some people can't help themselves. I am quite sure you are not saying that people can't criticize, but now is certainly not the time to do so. Our focus as citizens and residents should be on how we can minimize our exposure to this virus and do what we have to remain healthy for ourselves and fellow Bahamians. People need to stop politicizing this crisis.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 9 months ago
Don't forget to throw a few crumbs to the needy from the seat you apparently have on the Minnis 'gravy train'.
John 4 years, 9 months ago
Rupert Roberts made no such announcement. Walmart gave a statement to the effect that customers are purchasing FIVE times the amount of foodstuffs that they buy for Christmas and this is creating a challenge to restock shelves in a timely. manner. Other food retailers issue similar sentiments. The fact is once you stock up, you must now consume else food will go bad. Too bad Mudda continues to spew his obviously racist and anti-Bahamian sentiments. Fortunately, most people ignore him, like a silly little child who cries "wolf, wolf," too often. Reality Check: Mudda-tak sic can never become prime minister of the Bahamas..never ever? yes, never ever!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 9 months ago
We are headed for the Italian scenario x 2 because of individuals like you with very clouded thinking who have sat on their hands for the past 6 weeks. Oh, and by the way, Rupert Roberts has made it known time and time again in recent years (usually in the aftermath of hurricanes that have seriously impacted New Providence) that his warehouse capacity is limited to a couple of weeks of food supplies at most. As for no one reading my comments, that's entirely their privilege and choosing, but my Facebook account certainly says otherwise. And don't worry, I'm free of personal political ambitions of any kind.
John 4 years, 9 months ago
Perilous times shall come, And my faith shall lead me on
John 4 years, 9 months ago
This too shall pasd
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 9 months ago
More worried about those who will pass! And unfortunately Minnis's very slow ramp up was the last thing we wanted or needed.
TalRussell 4 years, 9 months ago
Ma comrades, there are going be tremendous financial and social costs associated with the abrupt closing of all government schools when weighted against what may result in a zero to little curving of the coronavirus.
Who's going caretaker the thousands kids - will it be left to their aged relatives, grandparents, friends, neighbours , or others who fall more vulnerable to the coronoavirus?
What about the loss of meals which kids have become meal dependent upon on the days that schools serve meals?
What are thousands of health care workers expected to do with their out school kids - something the Colony's PM failed to much thought through - likes what immediate financial relief and services will the government be providing to the thousands of out of school kids and parents/guardians?**
stillwaters 4 years, 9 months ago
If the government had not closed schools, you would be having a harsh criticism of that, saying how he was putting the safety of children at risk Sometimes I wonder why we elect any government and then spend the following five years pulling them down.
TalRussell 4 years, 9 months ago
Ma comrade, do you not find it irresponsible that a government has abruptly - just dumped thousands kids out onto the streets and without any thought as to what will their parents/guardians do about caring for them? What are the thousands of health care workers supposed do with their kids so that they can be at their work stations to attend to the health care needs of the Colony's other 400,000 PopoulacesOrdinary? Wasn't the government elected to **thought through"" polices - before implementing them upon PopoulacesOrdinary. Yeah, no?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 9 months ago
Actually no. If he had come out with a plan that demonstrated a path to an orderly shutdown, noone could argue with that.
Dramatic decisions however cause chaos. As was clearly seen when Trump suddenly shutdown travel to Europe without consulting anyone.
All they had to do was give out a plan. for example: schools will close as of next week Monday. this will give parents and guardians time to organize child care. All utility disconnections will be suspended for 2 months. There will be a 2 month waiver on mortgage payments. Banks will be open to X date. Food stores and gas stations will remain open etc etc.
Schools didn't have to close today. Parents who had options could have opted to take their children out, But those who didn't would have had time to arrange something.
What they did instead was cause a 2nd wave of panic buying. Another such dramatic announcement and we'll have another even more frantic wave of panic buying. It appears to me that Minnis waits until everything breaks down then runs in the middle of the chaos like superman and I'm says, "I'll fix this, I'm a doctor you know". He's done this over and over and over again
stillwaters 4 years, 9 months ago
What would you do about the school children if you were in charge? I am not being antagonistic, just want to know.
TalRussell 4 years, 9 months ago
Not criticising but challenging each to react pro-actively and not re actively. Maybe some more thought should have been given to the consequences in abruptly closing the front doors to our schools on thousands of kids and their parents/guardians? Somebody, other than a more elderly - must only be allowed caretaker the kids.The results of Italy's closing up shop on the entire country has been a deadly failure. Likewise, the testing of all of the PopuulacesOrdinary will not **curve the new coronovirus.- in fact may do more harm than good. You can test negative today for the virus one one day and retest on another day and test positive.for the virus.
newcitizen 4 years, 9 months ago
I'm so thankful that you are not in charge
bogart 4 years, 9 months ago
Seems should have given parents more than hours and perhaps better to run schools a few more days to have teachers to arrange online classes to keep children still occupied at home, keeping then updated and continuing with the essential course for students facing critical exams light BGCSE and others. Daily schoolday online connection teachers with students also can be test run in the future for other purposes beneficial to themselves and society. Perhaps can run online classes for select students in supervised home/class settings to decrease overpopulated classes, perhaps some advanced students can have advanced classes and those needing additional help getting it.
bogart 4 years, 9 months ago
Some of the areas in forefront would be the closure of some 200 Gambling Web shops which seems to be urban renewal areas clientele seems from tourist industry. Even the numerous Churches in the Nation have been making a lot of efforts even to the new chapter on Church on their doctrines to save the people. Added to closures should be the many Bars over the hill where seems plenty conflicts happening oven. Added to these should be the warnings to serial sweethearters going back and forth. Etc.etc
John 4 years, 9 months ago
TRUMP now admits the Corvid-19 virus is out of control as cases soar across the US and the death toll climbs. He URGES ALL Americans to stay at home for the next 15 days!
killemwitdakno 4 years, 9 months ago
Review the bioterorism notes
https://www.paho.org/bah/index.php?opti…
https://www.elsevier.com/books/handbook…
killemwitdakno 4 years, 9 months ago
Every cashier should wear gloves.
Expect to lose nurses to other places like before.
Protect all health staff as they are front line and can't be sick.
Require taxi drivers to have hand sanitizer.
Expect hospital med shortage (tamiflu).
Prepare for high infectious rate in neighboring countries with high aids rates and illegal migration as a pandemic result of worsening their supply. Haiti has locked everyone out but not in. Good thing we are working from Turks now.
Establish quarantine measures like random calls to make sure someone self-quarantining is at home or ankle bracelets. Use a designated place for all if available ( let em bring their can food).
PLAN WAYS TO KEEP SUPPLY FLOWING SHOULD THERE BE A HALT IN THE DISTRIBUTION.
Prep BAMBSI to feed.
Prep post-storm distribution again.
Prep financially for isolation.
Plan to not have to choose between lives again.
killemwitdakno 4 years, 9 months ago
(Worst-case scenario is that we find out that it infects livestock leaving no edible meat or mutates again quickly to contaminate packaged food or last longer on surfaces which would hinder supply and delivery, but that's not mentioned so hopefully won't happen. Lucky for us, we can fish. )
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