The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis tabled a resolution in the House of Assembly yesterday to extend the country’s state of emergency to June 29 as he announced plans to further ease restrictions.

The resolution will be debated today. Dr Minnis said he will announce the relaxation of some restrictions for New Providence, Grand Bahama, and various Family Islands.

“We recognise they’ve been under lockdown, curfew orders for some time. We’re on the right track and we think we’re in good stead if we further liberalise the Bahamas; that is New Providence, Grand Bahama and other Family Islands,” he said.

“More details will be given, inclusive of the church as we all need spiritual healing, not only medical healing, and not only economic healing.

“But more details will be given tomorrow as to the layout as we continue to progress along our phases — phase 1, phase 1B, phases two and three — as we continue to advance, so we can open our country to international travellers, [and] so that our minister of tourism can one day can start shouting in the back of me saying that he has now hit the nine million mark. I look forward to that day.”

The state of emergency was first declared on March 19 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The country has just begun the transition to phase two of the government’s reopening plan, with Family Islands gradually reopening and church services resuming, although at the moment only drive-up worship is allowed for large groups. July 1 has been identified as a key date for the country, with officials hoping to resume commercial flights by then and resuscitate the ailing economy.

New Providence and Grand Bahama have been recording fewer new cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks. The last recorded cases were announced on Saturday, when three cases brought the country’s COVID-19 toll to 100. Eleven people have died from the disease.